In the beginning
by TTndAvatarFan
Summary: A year after Tokyo. Beastboy is finally coming to terms with a startling fact, he fancies Raven. But does she feel the same way? And can he make her understand his emotions are true?
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: **__This is an EDITED version of the original chapter. I was reading some of the chapters and wasn't satisfied with the style and am hoping to improve. Constructive criticism is always appreciated._

_**DISCLAIMER: **__Don't own nothing_

* * *

With a speed unexpected from an animal of such large proportions, the Beast leaped from tree to tree with agility and graceful ease. It stopped only now and then to sniff the air, making sure that it never lost the scent of its target. After a few minutes of continuing through the thick foliage, it stopped short. The scent was definitely stronger now, especially as the Beast approached a clearing. Even from a distance, its acute senses had caught the sound of a small waterfall. The Beast was certain, even surrounded by humid jungle and its vast array of pungent smells, without a doubt, its prey was here. Letting out a soft growl, it once again stealthily approached the clearing, yet making sure to stay hidden behind in the dark security of the bushes. The Beast's ears flicked in the direction of shuffling leaves, and its eyes caught sight of what it had been pursing so ardently.

The Beast watched, breathing as silently as possible as its prey stepped out from the jungle. Another soft growl escaped the Beast, but this time, it sounded more like a contended purr. Its prey looked around as if to make sure there weren't any unwanted spectators, and moved closer towards the waterfall, and the lake that the fall emptied into. All the Beast had to do was wait for the prey to turn around, and within seconds it could pounce before the prey could react. Just as its powerful leg muscles flexed to make a leap, the prey suddenly turned around and looked at the exact spot the Beast had been hiding. The Beast couldn't help but widen its eyes in surprise...

'I know you're there Beastboy, I can sense you,' said Raven.

Beastboy shifted into his human form wordlessly. He frowned. How could she possibly have guessed where he was hiding?

'I'm an empath, remember? I can feel your emotions.'

_Damn it...and I thought I was so close_, Beastboy grumbled to himself, before stepping out into full view. Whatever childish retort he was about to make died on his lips when he saw what Raven did next. She dropped her cloak in one fluid motion to reveal herself wearing a fitting black bikini. Every womanly curve, every sensual swell was accentuated. The black sheen of the fabric contrasted fabulously against her unblemished grey skin. Deep in the jungle, there was nothing but the dusk light shining down on them. The buzzing of the insects could be heard from the depths of the forest. Yet there was little about his surroundings the changeling cared about now. Here, far away from civilization, far away from prying eyes he could drink in every moment with her.

And right now, she truly was a vision.

Raven turned her back to him, and dived smoothly into the lake. She emerged a few seconds later throwing her luscious purple hair back. She called out to Beastboy, 'So, are you going to drool like that forever or will you be joining me?'

Beastboy shook his head to clear his mind, and grinned before he quickly stripped down to his boxers. He chose to wade waist deep and watched as Raven swam gracefully to join him midway. She let him entwine his arms around her slim waist, as she wrapped her legs around him, and let him support her.

'You know, I'm really glad you let me bring you here. It's a great break from the Titans,' said Beastboy as he lazily moved in the water, and let his forehead rest against hers.

'Hmmm. No kidding, I wouldn't have believed how beautiful it was here if I didn't see it for myself. Upper Lumumba is absolutely breathtaking.'

'You know what else is breathtaking?' asked Beastboy slyly, as his arms wrapped tighter around Raven. She gave him a sultry smile, sending Beastboy's already racing heartbeat on a faster pace, before replying in a husky voice, 'No...please do enlighten me on that...' In reply, Beastboy lowered his head, and kissed her passionately. Raven let out a soft moan, and tightened her legs around him, bringing Beastboy closer, if it were possible. Beastboy responded with a growl and deepened the kiss, but before he could go any further, he heard a noise, and quickly broke the kiss to see who had intruded on their secret location. He continued to embrace Raven, but he let his eyes and ears search for the source of the disturbance.

'Calm down Beastboy, it's only a bird,' Raven said, pointing towards a tree close to the lakes edge. Beastboy followed looked up at the tree to indeed see...'That is the freakiest bird I have ever seen. What the hell is that?' he said bewildered. He had never seen any creature like it before. It wasn't that large, but had purple and red tail feathers the length of a peacock's. Its beak was like a hornbill's, and it had orange with yellow feathers on the rest of its body.

'Rae, I'm not sure whether that is even a species from this region...I mean-'Beastboy was cut off when the unusual bird opened its beak to cry out.

_**BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP**_

_What the hell?_

He turned around to face Raven again, but as he watched, she seemed to fade right out of his arms. Panicked, he looked around, and watched as the rest of the jungle started to fade out rapidly as well. In seconds, everything turned black, and suddenly he realized why.

With an annoyed growl, Beastboy opened his eyes and searched for the source of the high-pitched beeping noise. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and tried to reach for the alarm clock. However, in his semi-awake state, he forgot that the alarm was near the lower bunk and before he knew it, he had leaned so far over the edge of the top bunk that gravity did the rest of the work of getting him up. Or, more down, in this case. With a yelp, he fell in a jumbled heap of limbs and sheets, while the blasted alarm still shrilled happily.

'Crapy piece of technojumble!' he cried out, more in pain then exasperation, as he finally turned off the alarm. '10:30? Only? Duuuuuuuuuuuuude...you could have given me another hour or so!' he whined. He yawned, and realizing there was no way he could fall asleep anymore. He rubbed the shoulder that he landed on. He groaned a little in pain, hoping it would not compromise his training sessions. Boy Blunder would give him a lecture he really couldn't care for. He decided he might as well take a shower before heading out to the common room to grab some breakfast, or lunch...or maybe both, if there was time. He stretched to loosen his tight muscles, and walked over to a pile of clothes in the corner. Quickly shifting into a dog, he sniffed around until he found a relatively fresh set of his uniform, and made a mental note to dump the rest into the laundry later that day.

It was only until he was under the steaming water of the shower, that he had time to reflect on the dream that he had earlier in the morning. Although he found it difficult to remember most of what had transpired, he did remember one part, or rather one person, quite vividly. His head jerked back, as he remembered Raven, and once again shook his head rapidly, hoping to rid his mind's eye of any...compromising visions.

_Man, I have got to lay off Starfire's cooking. The kind of freaky dreams I've been having lately..._

For the past few months now, Beastboy had noticed that his idle mind would many times linger on the dark sorceress. He couldn't pinpoint the exact moment, but one second he was just cracking jokes, and pulling pranks to get her to smile for one reason, and the next second, he was still cracking jokes and pulling childish pranks to her attention for a whole different set of reasons. And it wasn't just to see her smile, but lately he had been thinking too much about her. Whether it was just to watch her silently from a distance make her herbal tea, meditate, or read a book on the sofa, and imagine her devote that much attention on him, or if it was keeping an extra eye out for her when they were out fighting.

Of course, he cared about every member of the team...but Raven...for some reason, sparked something even deeper. It was almost like the Beast as well seemed intent on her well being, and the Beast rarely, thought much about one particular teammate. After all, it was simply an embodiment of Beastboy's raw emotions and pure instinct. Surely, anything it felt was something that Beastboy was feeling subconsciously, or why else would it react? And why now? Why her?

_I mean...come on...Raven? She'd never even look at me more than twice, and speak to me even less._ _I mean...dude...we don't even have anything in common! Even if she said yes to one date, what the hell would we talk about? Family? She'd just damn her dad to hell...if that were even possible...and work? We do the same thing! _

_No common hobbies...nothing...nada...zilch..._

He sighed, and turned off the shower. No time for daydreaming anymore, as his stomach let out a rather audible growl. Quickly drying himself, brushing his teeth, and throwing on his uniform, he walked to the common room to make himself something to eat. As the common room door swished open he let the scents tell him who was there, who had already been there, and what had happened so far. _Hmm...coffee, toast, eggs, zorkaberries, with hints of bacon...eww Cyborg you flesh monster, hash browns, and orange juice. Guess everyone has had breakfast except me._

And then, he smelled another scent that drove all other thoughts out of his mind. A small smile involuntarily played across his lips.

Lavender incense and herbal tea.

Beastboy's eyes fell on Raven, who was as usual, sitting on the sofa, reading a book. Beastboy couldn't suppress the smile that now became a full-fledged grin. It was simply the two of them, and he called out in greeting, 'Morning Rae! Where's everyone else?'

'Firstly, good morning. Secondly, don't call me Rae. Thirdly, Robin and Starfire are in the training room, and Cyborg is out looking for spare parts for the T-car,' she droned in her signature flat tone. Not once did her eyes leave her book. She leafed over a page, ignoring the changeling. Undeterred, Beastboy said,'Oh, 'kay...uh...so what are you planning for the rest of-'

'Beastboy, I'm reading. And when I'm reading, I really don't like to be disturbed, understand?' she cut him off. Her tone may have been flat, but the sharpness in the words was not lost on him.

'Oh...right...sorry about that Raven,' he said meekly, his ears drooping a little. Wordlessly, he took out a box of Coco Pops, some soy milk, a bowel, and spoon to eat his breakfast. He sat nevertheless, in such a way that he could still see her as she read her book. For now, he was content to just sit, eat, and catch a few glances of the dark empath as she continued reading. At one point though, she must have realized he was watching her because she suddenly turned and looked around at him just as he glanced once more at her.

She cocked her eyebrow, and Beastboy was caught off guard. _Shit, she caught me looking right at her!_ he thought. In his surprise, his spoon slipped of out his hand. It fell with a loud clinking onto the floor, and Beastboy hastily picked it up, before retrieving a new one. He nearly dropped that one too, when he heard Raven ask, 'Beastboy were you just staring at me?'

He visibly sweatdropped.

'What? Me? No! I wasn't...I would never...I mean not never...but just right now, I...you know...' he stammered. She rolled her eyes as he babbled an excuse, and simply said, 'A simple no would have sufficed,' before returning her attention back to her book.

Beastboy flushed and once again silently sat down to eat his breakfast. _Real smooth there dude. If that didn't make her think you were a sleazy dork, I don't know what else will_.

Never before in all their years together had she made him so self-conscious. Normally he would have laughed off her words, or made a joke to lighten the situation. But lately he found himself more quiet in her presence. A part of him, he knew, was trying to be less of the prankster, and more of the young adult that he was becoming. It wasn't even a change he wanted for the group. It was more for her.

Only for her.

He had hoped, someday, she might see him in a different light. She him was not just a team or house mate. Maybe...hopefully...something more.

Yet here he was, unable to maintain a 30-second conversation, and dropping things like a love-sick school boy.

He sighed inwardly.

_Yup, today is going to be one of __those __days, _he thought miserably.


	2. Chapter 2

_First of all, I would like to thank everyone who took the time to not only read this story, but to review and add it to their collection. You have no idea how happy I was to get this support, especially since this is only the 2nd thing I'm posting on fanfiction. You guys are the best! *kisses and hugs and lots and lots of yummy chocolates for all*_

_Inspiration for BB's costume design: art/Teen-Titans-Beast-Boy-54024327_

_Inspiration for last chapter's waterfall scene: fs41/150/i/2009/008/b/d/Abreak_from_it_all_by__

_EDITED: Some minor changes in the years. The Titans aren't that old. Not anymore. The rest of the story shall be edited to reflect said changes. _

_**DISCLAIMER: **__I don't own Teen Titans...cause if I did...I'd fire the corporate idiots who cancelled the show._

* * *

Raven luxuriously stretched, enjoying the feeling of her muscles responding to her commands. She could feel her muscles loosen, and tighten as she went painstakingly through her yoga stances, and postures. Without much of an effort, she smoothly stretched into a perfect split, before tucking her legs in a fluid motion, and executed a tight back roll. Then, as soon she landed on her feet, she jumped upright before going straight into a serious of precise back flips, the last of which signalled the end of her yoga exercise. After completing a few simple stretches to warm down, and wiping away the sweat from her body, she sat down in a lotus position to meditate. Yoga was something the monks at Azarath had taught her. It had been a way of keeping both her mind and body occupied from the inevitable prophecy that she was destined to fulfil. She had found, much to her pleasure that, her mind and body worked as one, and keeping one part honed meant the other responded quicker. Yoga helped her mind better enter its peaceful centre as she mediated, and her meditation technique made her body better respond to the demanding physical exercise yoga required.

Meditation helped her keep her volatile emotions in check, and lately, she found she had to meditate a lot more than what was normally required from her. Although she didn't show it, but for the past few months her emotional doppelgangers had been_...fidgety_. It took more to calm herself down, and maintain the blank expressionless exterior she showed the world. She had even gone several times into Nevermore to discuss with Knowledge why she was having these problems, but the only thing Knowledge did was drive Raven _more _crazy. Something about her emotions evolving and that this was just a natural progression of her maturity not only as a human but as a demon too. Raven vaguely remembered Knowledge saying something about external factors playing a key role as well. Knowledge didn't take Raven's exasperated response of being the stupidest smart person she'd ever known who just spouted a load of bull too well, and had banned Raven from entering her domain of Nevermore until she issued her a proper apology. Raven had no idea her emotions could even _do _that. _Just goes to show there's so much more I still need to uncover about myself, _she mused.

She sighed before starting to chant the familiar mantra..._Azarath...Metrion...Zinthos... _and felt her mind enter a peaceful state of tranquillity. Her body started to float in mid-air as she entered a trance, and...

_**CRASH! BANG!**_

_'OH GOD CY! I THINK YOU REALLY BROKE SOMETHING THIS TIME!'_

'Booya! Gotcha ya little grass stain!'

'For fuck's sake Cy! I'm NOT joking!'

'Oh stop whining and grow a pair will ya? It's stankball...with clothes...how hard could I really-'

'LOOK AT MY ARM YOU TRASH-CAN! Is it even _supposed _to be at that angle?'

'Damn...now that you've mentioned it...'

A vein throbbed visibly on Raven's temple. Why did those two idiots always have to play that infernal game right outside her door? It seemed that they clearly didn't learn their lesson the last time, when she unceremoniously chucked them both out the Tower's topmost window. Hearing Cyborg's high-pitched girly scream as he plummeted down several stories, had been the highlight of the day. That was, until Robin sternly reminded her that one does _not_ cause grievous body harm to one's team mate. That was a job meant for the villains.

Grinding her teeth, Raven wrapped herself with her cloak, and opened the door. As soon as it swished open, both boys stop yelling at each other. Seeing the black flames behind the 4-eyed Raven's now towering figure, caused them both to pale significantly and sweatdrop. 'So,' she growled menacingly as she approached them, 'who wants to be the first one to pay Daddy's dimension a visit..._permanently?' _

Beastboy eeped, and cowered behind Cyborg, who was trying to become as small as possible, but unfortunately, his metallic bulk did little to help what was now fast becoming a lost cause.

'Listen to me closely you two imbeciles, because I'm _not_ going to repeat this. You will _never_ again play stankball in front of my room, or else I will show you what a true demonic possession looks like, and what real pain feels like, do I make myself clearly understood?' Cyborg's metallic processors broke into a sweat as he stammered, 'Cr-cr-crystal Raven.' Raven fixed all 4 eyes on Beastboy then, who squeaked an approximation of 'Totally.'

And with that Cyborg and he both sprinted off down the corridor and somewhere far...far away. But, Beastboy suddenly realized that even though he was pumping his legs furiously, unlike Cyborg who was long gone, he hadn't moved an inch. Panicking significantly, he realized that Raven was actually holding him tightly with a dark band of energy that kept him suspended in the air.

_Oh God, she's really going to kill me now, _he thought with pure terror.

Then, he saw that she was no longer in her demon form, and she set him down. 'For Azar's sake Beastboy, relax. I'm not going to hurt you...yet. I can see that you've actually hurt your arm. Come inside my room, and I'll heal it for you.'

Beastboy couldn't keep his jaw from dropping. Apart from the mirror incident a few years back, he had not been inside her room at all. The only other person allowed was Starfire, and even then, that was a rarity. 'Any lower, and you might actually trip on your mouth Beastboy. Now are you going to come in or not? The faster I heal you, the faster I get rid of you,' she deadpanned. Still a little bewildered he shut his mouth, and entered her private domain. Even though her room was dark, and in sharp contrast to his own room, clean and artfully decorated with antiquities, he actually didn't feel all that uncomfortable, which surprised him. Maybe it was the fact that Raven had voluntarily invited him inside, or maybe it was because the room was filled with Raven's soothing scent, but he was calm, and obeyed Raven as she motioned for him to sit on her large bed.

'Now let's have a look...' Her normally flat tone seemed soft at the edges. Beastboy extended his left arm. He could see that the arm wasn't really angled oddly, but rather bruised quite badly, and his forearm had swollen quite significantly. She narrowed her eyes as she studied his injury and scooted closer to get a better look. Soft, yet expert fingers probed gently and carefully. Her attention focused completely on his arm, and she moved closer. A few wisps of hair escaped the loose ponytail to gently frame her face.

She was so close.

Her scent was stronger than usual, serving only to tease Beastboy. He knew Raven has changed her uniform a few months after their trip to Tokyo. She still wore a leotard, but this version had no sleeves. Instead, Raven wore long gloves that went a little beyond her elbows and that covered 2 fingers. She also didn't show as much of her legs as before and now wore a pair of thigh-length boots (much like Starfire used to wear, but she too had changed her costume). Beastboy would rather suffer a painful death, than admit to anyone how amazing she looked now.

Somewhere along the line, her body had developed a sensual grace. It was hard to not watch her stretch to reach the top of the cupboard, glimpse her as she carefully licked a finger before turning a page of her book, or watch the wind buffet her cape around her slender, womanly frame. She had even let her hair grow longer, so now it swept well below her shoulders.

Seemingly unaware of his now deep breathing, Raven delicately ran her fingers across his arm, feeling for the damaged tissues, and tendons, trying to work out the best possible way to heal him. To Beastboy's relief, she started chanting her mantra under her breath, and saw her hands emit a pale blue colour. A feeling of warmth tingled across his arm as she slowly started healing the bruised tissues, and in a matter of minutes she had completed her job. He got off the bed, flexed his arm several times, and even morphed it into a gorilla's.

'Thanks Raven. It feels as good as new. Sorry about that though, guess Cy and I got...'Beastboy's voice trailed off as he saw Raven's eye twitch twice in irritation.

'Uh...maybe I should go now?'

Raven opened her door with her powers and said, 'That may be the smartest thing you've said all day.' And with that, she thrust him out of her room, and shut the door before anything else could happen.

Raven let out a deep breath, and massaged her head. It seemed as if being near him brought on a massive headache. As if her very inner being was at logger heads with itself, and her mind was the battle arena. Why did it seem Beastboy always brought out the worst in her? _Maybe not the worst, Raven. Rather, a part of you that is yet to be properly revealed_ said Wisdom.

'That's just peachy...now you're supporting him as well?'

_There is no me and you when your Emotions are concerned Raven. Only 'I'. _

'Thanks for the grammar lesson, but I'm really not in the mood for this Wisdom.'

_When are you ever Raven? Sometimes it's hard to face up to the truth, but dealing with it head-on is what will make you stronger. You __**need**__ to stop running from this. NOW._

'I have no idea what you're talking about.'

_Don't lie to me Raven, and don't try denying that you're not. I know what's going on in your head, I'm living in it. _

Raven pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. This was just like her discussion with Knowledge. The conversation was just going in a pointless circle. Her Emotions claiming feelings that her reasoning told her couldn't possibly exist.

_You know you like him, Raven_ Wisdom said.

'Give me one good reason you'd even _think_ that,' she snapped back.

_He's always saying jokes and doing silly little pranks to make us smile and laugh. And it works, sometimes _chirped Happy.

_Haven't you noticed how much more he's been protecting you all these months during our battles?_ said Courage.

_He ne-ne-never yells at you, or loses his temper much for that ma-ma-matter _stammered Timid.

_Yeah, stop ripping him a new one every other day. Instead, you know you what you should do? Give that sexy ass of his a nice, tight_-Rude tried to add...'Don't even think of finishing that sentence,' Raven replied tersely, her face flushing. Rude simply shrugged her shoulders and let out a loud belch.

_Seriously? _Courage interrupted looking flabbergasted at the other emotions. _Hell, we've all noticed, and we're stuck in your thick head! Are you telling me you haven't sensed the way he looks at you now? How he's trying to draw you into conversations, but you keep pushing him away? Threats and glares may have worked on him before Raven, but he's a big boy now. There'll come a time when even that won't deter him anymore. _

_Don't try the 'He's like a brother to me' excuse... it's a load of bullshit and you know it. That line is reserved for Robin and Cyborg, _said Rude.

_Returning to the main point, he has also matured...somewhat. Not significantly, I'll admit, but at least he's on the path _added Wisdom.

_By my count Raven, that's 6 good reasons. And that's not even the honest opinions of __**all**__ your Emotions. If you give him the chance, maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised_ Knowledge said.

Raven sighed in defeat, knowing a lost cause when she saw it. There was no denying this anymore. 'It's a big risk. I don't know whether I'm ready for this. The last time I tried being emotional and open with a guy, I ended up with a murderous dragon on my hands. The Tower wasn't the only thing that got broken that day.'

The Emotions didn't reply, and Raven was about to claim victory over this argument. That was, until one particular Emotion, that had quietly been listening to the conversation added gently, _Raven, as an empath you can feel others emotions. The spell that bound Malchoir initially kept you from detecting his true feelings until his release. But Beastboy? Do you truly think he is lying or faking it? The glances? The concern? The jokes? What you just felt minutes ago? I doubt he has any psychic training to hide his emotions from you. You're simply scared, because you have started feeling the same thing. Why are you so frightened, Raven? _

Raven's head jerked into attention when she heard this new voice. 'Affection? I thought you no longer existed after Malchoir?' The Emotion simply smiled and said,_ Raven, you feel affection for a variety of people. I'm not confined to one being or thing. I feel for all the Titans, your mother, the people of Azarath, and many more. But what you feel for Beastboy? That has transcended beyond my emotional capabilities. Your headaches? To put in an infinitely simply way, is caused because your __**true **__feelings for him has yet to find a place. Although, on a positive note, I like to think that things are now in motion. All you have to do is...go with the flow._

Raven vigorously shook her head. Beastboy? Of all the billions of males in the world? They had nothing in common, for Azar's sake! Even if, by some miraculous reason they got together, the relationship would barely progress...it was doomed from the start. She was Raven, the dark empath...the lonely one. She wasn't destined for anyone.

_No._.._I can't. _

She needed to nip this in the bud. It was pointless for Beastboy to harbour feelings that she was incapable of reciprocating. He deserved someone who could laugh at his jokes, without worrying about breaking every single glass object in the vicinity, someone who would enjoy his presence, someone who would encourage him instead of continually belittle him.

_Someone_..._better_, Raven thought. She pushed back the heavy lump in her stomach, and swallowed. She took a deep breath to steady herself. She needed to talk to him..._**immediately**__. _

TTTTTTTT

Beastboy sat in front of the large T.V, and flipped aimlessly through the channels. Nothing interested him, and he yawned. _Might as well grab something to eat, before I hit the gym_ he thought. Since returning from Tokyo, and realizing how popular he was (oh yeah, chicks really _did_ dig the pointy ears), Beastboy decided that it was time to shed his boyish image. Physically at least, he had accomplished that quite well. Luckily, both he and Robin went through a growth spurt so that they stood at 6ft, although Robin was an inch or two taller. Cyborg had even lent a hand in weights training so that he was no longer scrawny. His punishing physical regime resulted in Beastboy having an impressive muscular build. This added bulk and height meant that he could no longer fit into his old costume, and he decided on keeping the old look with a new twist. This costume still had the black and purple colours of doom patrol, but no longer any sleeves, and had matching gloves. It was completely black with a purple lining that stretched from this chest down to his leggings. And he had swapped his old shoes for a pair of combat boots. In all, his transition was a success.

As he finished making a big sandwich and sat down to eat, the common room doors swished open, and Raven walked in. Seeing Beastboy, she walked purposefully towards him. Beastboy instinctively froze, trying to think back frantically in an effort to remember what he could have possibly done wrong again in the span of just an hour. Before he could open his mouth though, she said, 'Beastboy, do you have a minute? I really need to talk to you.' Sensing the urgency in her normally flat tone, Beastboy nodded his head.

'Beastboy,' she started, 'I'm not going to beat around the bush, so you'll have to excuse me for being brash, and getting straight to the point. I know how you feel towards me, because frankly, it's quite hard to ignore. I've seen the way you look at me, how you act towards me, and most of all, how your emotions react so strongly whenever I'm near you. Don't get me wrong, I'm not angry at you about it...it's just that...I don't...I can't...I...'she trailed off weakly, seemingly unable to finish her sentence.

What a time for words to fail her.

This was the first time that Beastboy had actually seen Raven looking so uncertain, and it honestly left him speechless. But he had clearly heard everything she said, and Raven felt the waves of hurt and sadness radiating off him as she said her last few words. She couldn't help but hate herself for rejecting him like this, but there was no other way. Couldn't he see? It was for his own good.

She took a deep breath, least she lost her conviction, and continued, 'I just don't do emotions, Beastboy. I can never risk feeling what you feel towards me, let alone reciprocate it. It's too dangerous; there's no predicting what could happen. I mean, you remember the last time when I lost control of Timid, and ended up nearly hurting all of you. And honestly, you deserve someone who can give you...what I can't, what I-'

She was cut off as Beastboy suddenly banged his fist violently on the counter.

'WHAT IF-', he composed himself before continuing, 'what if I want _you_? Don't I get a chance to decide who I deserve or not? My liking you is no longer a secret, so give me a chance to prove myself. You're shooting me down before giving me any opportunities!'

'I'm only doing to this to save you from getting hurt!' Raven retorted, her own temper rising.

'Saving me or saving you? Because honestly, I don't need to be saved..especially not from this! And in case you haven't noticed Raven, I'm not a child anymore! For God's sake, will you _ever_ treat me like an adult?'

'I will the day you start acting like one!'

'Um, friends? Please desist from your fighting. It saddens me to see you talk like that with each other.' Both Beastboy and Raven looked startled at Starfire's gently spoken words.

'Starfire, how long have you been there?' asked a flustered Raven, as she whipped around to face her.

'Long enough, Raven, for I was searching for Silkie and found him hiding over by the computers, before overhearing, quite accidentally, your conversation. Friend Beastboy, it gladdens me to see that you have finally been a little more...forthcoming about your feelings. I was wondering how long it would take for you to reveal your emotions to Raven,' Starfire said.

Raven felt another headache coming on, and said 'Then you know that there is no chance in for a relationship between us. Apart from the fact we live together in the Tower, we have absolutely nothing in common. We hardly agree to anything. I-'

'I hesitate to interrupt you, Raven,' said the alien princess gently yet firmly, 'but I believe you are wrong. I have yet to understand why the people on Earth find it so hard to be true to their feelings. On Tamaran, we are not so complicated when it comes to our emotions, and believe that in order to make a relationship work, we must look beyond the differences, and search for something..._anything_ in common. And I know for a fact, that you are both not as different as you make out to be.'

She raised her hand to keep the two from interrupting her before continuing. 'You have both found the love and acceptance of a family from the Titans. You have suffered the pain of losing your childhood, and taking the huge burden of responsibility placed on you, Raven by the monks of Azarath, and Beastboy from the Doom Patrol. You have both endured a painful upbringing, and were commanded to act with a maturity beyond your age. And most importantly, you have both suffered the breaking of heart, when neither one of you were spared from the bitter poison of betrayal from the ones you loved so dearly. This, I think, is what has most severely, clouds both of your judgements.

Now, Starfire focused her attention on the empath. 'Raven, if memory serves, the only reason you did the loosing of control the last time was because you chose to forcefully deny your feelings of fear, rather than admit it. It is seems to me you are doing the same now.'

Starfire finished, and waited for either one of them to reply. But the only noise was the sound of Silkie burbling happily as he crawled on the counter. She sweatdropped and said, 'Perhaps I have been too forward. Forgive me my friends. I shall leave now, and let you do the talking.' With that, she picked up Silkie and flew quickly out of the common room door, leaving the two behind.

Raven couldn't help but see the truth of what Starfire had said, and felt her mind jumbled with all these new thoughts that scrambled around in her head, demanding her attention. And it didn't help that the emotions Beastboy was giving out mirrored her own. She shut her eyes and placed her hands on the counter leaning heavily against it, trying futilely to gain control of her Emotions, as Starfire's speech had stirred them all up.

Suddenly, she felt Beastboy's warm hand hesitantly envelope one of her own, and she opened her eyes quickly. She looked down at his hand. This wasn't the first time he touched her. He had grabbed or pulled her out of the way of harm when they fought, poked her to draw attention to his pranks, but this...

This was different. This has soft. Tender, with a hint of shyness. She found herself looking at the way her grey hand seemed to fit perfect in his green one. This small gesture on his part spoke volumes.

A quiet promise of possibility.

She was about to say...something...but all logical thoughts left her mind when she looked at him.

_Oh Azar his eyes...and that expression..._

Then she damned to hell that lopsided grin he gave her. Raven conceded defeat, a second time that day.

'So, I was just about to have a sandwich...we can talk some more after?' he asked hopefully, with another grin.

'I guess so,' Raven said, unable to keep the corners of her mouth from twitching rebelliously into a small smile. She looked at his plate and deadpanned. 'But, exactly what sandwich are you talking about?'

Beastboy looked down to his plate, to see his sandwich replaced by Silkie's drool. 'What? Dude! That sneaky little piece of...' He growled in annoyance. 'Never mind. Guess I'll just have to start over. Can I make you something?'

'Grilled cheese sandwich for me,' she said, taking a seat near the counter. 'Please.' It came almost as an afterthought. Beastboy turned around, and just couldn't wipe the happy grin that stayed on his face throughout the time he prepared their food. So, today had turned out _not _to be one of those days. Now all he had to do was not screw it up.

How hard could that be?


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's note:**__ Here's another chapter just for you all!! Thank you once again for everyone who took the time to read and review...your comments are very much appreciated. Also constructive criticism (emphasis on constructive) is welcomed :D anything to improve as a writer. _

_Please excuse grammatical/spelling/any type of errors really. Sometimes I type really fast, and things slip by during proof reading. _

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Teen Titans..._

Sometimes, all it takes is a moment. A moment that takes your breath away, and you lose all rational thought. A cascade of emotions, choices, and actions lead you all the way to that exact point in time, and when that moment arrives...you can only watch helplessly, as you're swept away by the sheer force of it, and it's at that precise second you realize, there's _nothing_ in this universe that you can do about it.

For the Titans, that moment had already taken place, and the repercussions of that instant would live in their minds forever. They say that when a significantly poignant event occurs, our brain performs a psychological feat called _flashbulb memory_. It's a phenomenon that occurs when something very tragic takes place, and you will forever remember where you were in that exact point in time...what you were doing, who you were with, and most importantly, how you ended up responding. In the end, all the Titan's response was the same...

_It should have been me..._

_If only I had moved faster..._

_I should have aimed for him..._

_Why did I lose concentration? _

_It's all my fault...I failed him..._

8 HOURS EARLIER

It had been 2 months since Raven and Beastboy decided that it was finally time to be more than just friends. Well, 2 months, 1 week, 4 days, and 6 hours, if you wanted to get technical, and keep count, but then again, Cyborg did have a processor for a brain. And if he didn't keep tabs on their relationship, how the hell else was he going to get blackmail material on them? After all, spying was a dirty game that involved a lot of precision. Course, he'd swear up and down, he'd never stoop down to such low levels...God, did they think that lowly of him?

'_Yes,_' growled Beastboy, as he confronted his friend down in his workshop. 'Dude, I'm serious. You have _got_ to lay off. I'm trying to be considerate here for Raven's sake, and things are going _really_ slow, what with her emotions being so volatile, and all. I can't have you messing about like that. It's rude, and you know it.'

' Since when did ya learn how to use volatile correctly in a sentence?'

'Cy...I'm being deadly serious here. Will you quit the jokes?'

'Awright...awright...don't get your Incredible Hulk boxers in a knot.'

'Wait, how do you...? Forget it. I don't even want to know. My point is, just give us some space okay? Raven still needs time to deal with...there being an _us._ And your snooping around, and hidden cameras isn't helping. You're supposed to my best friend..._not _an immature jackass, ' Beastboy said.

Cyborg sighed, knowing his friend was right. 'Okay man, I apologize. It's just that, you know, we don't hang around that much anymore...and since you and Raven hooked up...you've even stopped spying on Robin and Starfire.'

'Dude, I now understand how annoying all of that can be. Trying to walk in on the two when they're all alone, isn't right anymore. I respect their relationship, and also the fact that we're not teenagers anymore. We're adults now,' Beastboy replied. Of course, he'd rather eat Starfire's cooking before admitting the real reason was because Robin had caught him, and threatened him with 3 weeks of double training, and house chores. Seriously, that guy, when pissed, could be a real dick. _He he, Dick..._he thought inwardly. But, he quickly focused his attention back to Cyborg. 'Well? Do you promise to stop being a jerk?'

'Yeah, alright. I'll lay off. Honestly though,' Cyborg said, cessing his work on the T-car. He looked at Beastboy, and said a little sadly, 'I guess I'm just a little...sad. I mean, now that the 4 of ya have paired off, I feel like the odd one out ya know? I suppose it's just my way of getting your attention,' Cyborg rubbed the back of his head embarrassedly. 'Didn't realize how stupid, and immature I was acting. I'll...tone it down.' Beastboy smiled, 'Thank you. We all appreciate it...and don't worry dude, I'm sure you'll find someone soon. I dunno, give Bumble Bee a call...didn't she-'

'Nah, she and Herald hit it off quite well since our battle with the Brotherhood. I think they're even moved in together at Titans East. Anyway, I gotta finish this quickly, I'll see ya at dinner time okay?' Cyborg said, before picking up one of his tools. Beastboy nodded, and waved his hand before taking the elevator back up.

As soon as he arrived on the common room floor, he followed Raven's scent, and wasn't surprised to find her in the common room meditating. He couldn't hold back a smile as he saw her, and walked silently towards the couch before sitting down and watching her. He made sure to cough slightly to let her know of his presence, even if she was able to sense it. Since they had started being a couple, he decided to stop screaming out her name when she was meditating. Instead, he wanted to be considerate, and patiently waited until she finished, a fact Raven hadn't failed to notice and highly appreciate.

Once Raven finished, she unfolded her legs from her hovering lotus position, and rested her weight back on her feet. She turned around and faced Beastboy. Her lips curved into a shy smile, and she ducked her head as she felt herself blush...so much for remaining stoic. Beastboy couldn't help but feel a warm feeling tingle through himself when she looked at him like that. She was still very hesitant about showing too much emotions, but he wasn't going to rush her. He wanted her to know that even if he was ready to progress faster with their relationship, she could take her time to decide when to take the next step. After all, he wasn't about to give up and go anywhere.

'I talked with Cyborg. He promised to tone it down,' he said. Raven nodded her head before clearing he throat and saying,' If he values his life, he'll stick to that promise.' She sat down beside Beastboy on the couch, and trying to keep her tone as flat as possible continued, 'I was thinking, that maybe...we could got out tonight? It's been sometime since we last went out on a proper...um...outing.' _Oh for Azar's sake, why can't you just say date?_ _You've been a couple for 2 months now, _Brave said exasperated.

'Maybe a movie and dinner? Or just a walk down by the park?' Beastboy asked hopefully, knowing this was good sign. However, before she could reply, the Titans alarm rang out. For now any thoughts of a date would have to wait, as the rest of the Titans came running into the room. Robin quickly typed a few commands onto the computer system, and a holographic screen flicked into place near the large windows overlooking the bay. ' Okay, there's a bank robbery on 23rd Fleet Street. Looks like there's 8 robbers, armed and they've taken hostages. The police have already locked down the vicinity, and have a SWAT team ready. Let's move out Titans!' Robin commanded. Within minutes they arrived onto the scene. Robin headed straight for the police inspector in charge, and said, 'What have we got, officer?'

'We have 8 gunmen, armed and exceedingly dangerous. They're already opened fire on us, and have injured 3 policemen, and the bank security guards. We've got 16 hostages, including civilians and bank employees. Our hostage negotiator just got back with their demands,' replied the officer.

'And?' Robin prompted, seeing the man had hesitated.

'The problem isn't the fact that they've demanded 2 get-away trucks and a helicopter...my negotiator just told me that they've...they've strapped all the hostages with bombs. We make any move and they've threatened to blow up everything within 2 blocks.'

The shift in the Titan's attitude couldn't have been more obvious. Robin's eyes narrowed in anger, Starfire's eyes glowed in righteous fury, Cyborg ground his teeth, Raven's hands clenched together, and Beastboy let out a menacing growl. 'We'll take it from here officer, but I would still keep the SWAT team ready and in position. I don't think they're afraid to hurt anyone. Make sure everyone is a safe distance away. If anything does do wrong, we don't want any innocent people to get hurt,' Robin said. The officer nodded, and turned around to issue out the orders. Robin turned to his team and said, 'Alright Titans, here's the plan...'

TTTTT

Inside the bank, the hostages huddled together in a frightened group. The robbers barked harsh commands to keep quiet and still, kicking anyone as punishment should they disobey. Already, a few hostages were sporting painful bruises. 4 gunmen kept watch over the hostages, and the remaining robbers worked to open the large steel vault. Security and encryption, however, was quite complex for the vault, and it was taking a longer time to obtain the money. Hence, tempers were starting to run short, and the hostages were bearing the brunt of their frustration.

'John,' whispered one of the robbers who was watching the hostages. 'It shouldn't be taking so long. I'm starting to get a bad feeling about this.'

'Shut the fuck up Lou,' replied John harshly. 'We don't question anything. We get paid to shoot, not think, understand?' Lou frowned in agitation, but kept his mouth shut. Now wasn't the time to piss off anybody. Suddenly he though he saw a movement in the shadows on the corner of the large lobby from the room the hostages were being held in. 'Did you see that?' he asked a little nervously, to all 3 gunmen . 'Stan...Joe, check it out,' commanded John. The 2 other men nodded, and left the room quickly to check out what was happening. As soon as they left, John and Lou cocked their weapons and took off the safety lock, preparing for anything. Neither of them noticed the shadow on the roof extend to follow them directly overhead. They heard a scampering noise, and both quickly aimed their weapons...towards a small mouse. Lou sighed in relief, but when John got a closer look he said in a puzzled tone, 'Wait, is it supposed to be _green?_' But instead of an answer, he heard a grunt and saw Lou collapse beside in an unconscious heap. As John whipped around, all he saw was a black gloved fist rapidly approaching his face, before he too slumped down unconscious. Beastboy shifted back into his human form, and the rest of the Titans dropped down from the shadow on the ceiling.

The hostages all started to talk out of relief, but Starfire quickly quieted them, 'Please, you must remain silent so that we can get you out before the bad men know.' Raven appeared next to her, and with a complex spell, gently tried phasing off the bombs. 'Damn,' she replied frustrated. 'I take them off, and they'll all blow. The bastards wired them onto their bodies too closely. We're going to have to defuse them first.' Cyborg quickly knelt down beside a hostage, his fingers quickly flipping out tools,' don't worry, girl. I got this. Stay here with me, and see if you could block out any signal telepathically that could remotely trigger the bombs.' Raven nodded and her eyes glowed with power as she spread her magic aura around the hostages. Robin said, 'Beastboy, Starfire, come with me. We've got to take out the rest-' but he was cut short as Stan and Joe suddenly returned from the lobby.

_Shit_. 'EVERYBODY DOWN! NOW!'

And that's when all hell broke loose. With a shriek of power, a raven materialized before all of them, stopping the bullets that know sprayed unyieldingly into the room. 'Boys! We've got company!' screamed Stan down his communicator. 'Hang in there, we're coming!' came back the reply. Beastboy whipped his head around in concern at Raven. Her eyes were glowing white, but he could tell that it was taking a great effort to block out the signal for the bombs, and keep the black shield protecting them...her arms were starting to shake. 'Robin! She can't keep this up for long! We've got to stop them NOW!' Cyborg shouted out over the noise, 'I've still got to defuse al l these bombs from the hostages! Push those bastard back!'

Robin turned to his team, 'Starfire, aim star bolts at them...enough to keep them occupied. It should give cover for you, Beastboy, to fly over undetected behind them. Distract them long enough for me to aim my birdarangs. We don't have much time before the rest of them show up. Got it?' Beastboy and Starfire nodded their head. 'Raven, on my signal I want you to drop the shield, _but only for 2 seconds_, understand? Okay, ready team? And....NOW!'

TTTTT

The rest of the robbers thundered up the stairs. They could hear the gunshots, and ran faster to their comrades. 'Stan?' barked one of the robbers, 'what's going on? Where are the hostages?'

'Hugh.......need back up..._fzzzzzzzzzzz..._can't see...._fzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..._taking out hosta..._fzzzzzzzzzz_' and the line went dead.

'Fucking hell!' roared Hugh in anger. With that they all arrived where the fight was taking place, just in time to see Starfire punch Joe so hard, he went flying into them. They quickly extracted themselves from the heap, to hear Robin shout out, 'Titans! Fall back! They're all armed!'

TTTTT

'Titans! Fall back! They're all armed!'

Starfire and Beastboy quickly leaped back into the hostage room, and barricaded the door with whatever furniture was in the room. They could hear the sharp sound of gunshots as the robbers continued to shoot at the them, but luckily few bullets went past the now heavily fortified door. 'That should give us a few minutes,' breathed Beastboy. Turning around he saw that Cyborg was almost finished with defusing the last few bombs on the hostages. Raven had opened a portal and the freed hostages walked quickly through it to the safety of the police and paramedics outside. After the last one went through she shut the portal, and strode without hesitation towards Beastboy. 'Are you alright? Did you get shot?' she asked, her normally deadpan voice, filled with concern. Without realizing it, she placed a hand on his chest directly over his heart, letting her healing powers probe gently to see whether or not he was injured. 'It's alright Raven,' he said. 'I'm fine really.'

When she saw that he was, she swallowed down the fear. Azar, how was she supposed to fight if she was always this concerned about him? She quickly turned back to check that the rest of the team was alright as well. 'Good,' Robin said. 'So far, everything is going according to plan.' Then Starfire said, 'Robin, I do not hear any more shots of gun.' They all looked towards the door, and Raven used her powers to check what was happening. Her eyes widened in shock, and she suddenly whipped them all into her cloak when a deafening explosion ripped through the room, blowing away the barricade on the door.

The bank robbers then rushed into the room, their weapons at ready. They had lost _everything_, the hostages, the negotiation, the money. All they wanted to do was really _really_ hurt these meddling heroes. But once the smoke cleared, they saw...no one. 'WHERE THE FUCK DID THEY DISAPPEAR?!' roared Hugh. Suddenly, he was thrown back, and the gun clattered out of his arm as Beastboy rammed him in the gut. The rest of the Titans emerged once more from the portal Raven created after she drew them away from the explosion. Hugh gasped for breath, and tried to reach his gun in the middle of all the chaos. Even if the rest of his men were putting up a fight, they were no match for the Titans. Guns were broken, shattered, and thrown into other dimensions, as the Titans now engaged in hand to hand combat. A boiling rage filled Hugh as he watched his men slowly get overtaken by the Titans. _No fucking way am I going down...not today...not ever. _Unfortunately, none of the Titans noticed him reach for a small revolver in his boot, and aim at the closest Titan. Just as the hero faced him, Hugh fired 3 shots with deadly precision.

TTTTT

_**Bang...bang...bang.**_

All remaining Titans froze in the middle of their battle. Their attention drawn harshly by those 3 shots. And at that _exact_ moment, they were all left breathless. Time seemed to slow down and stretch impossibly as the horrific tragedy unfolded before their eyes. The only thing they could do was watch helplessly as their worst nightmare started to become a reality.

'Oh X'hal!' cried out Starfire. She moved to catch Robin as the 3 shoots propelled him backwards into her arms. 'Nau..._nau_,' she pleaded, her voice cracking. _ There was so much blood._ The robbers were as shocked as the Titans. Suddenly, the Titans, seemingly as one unit, performed a series of actions in perfect unison, almost as if they knew _exactly_ what their other team mates were going to do. Raven used her powers to throw 3 of the henchmen directly at Beastboy, who greeted the flying figures, with a perfectly executed gorilla punch, not caring if he broke jaws. Cyborg blasted the other 3 with his cannon while moving just in time to restrain a now murderous alien princess. Starfire was about to fly directly into Hugh, to deliver a fatal star bolt right between his eyes, had Cyborg's metallic bulk not blocked her. Beastboy rushed in to help Cyborg hold a hysterical Starfire who was spouting what could only be horrible profanities in her alien tongue. Meanwhile, Raven rushed over to Robin to access the damage. Right now, Robin was starting to twitch, and buck as his spit out blood. _Bloody hell,_ Raven thought as she poured her powers into their fallen leader. Her worst fears where confirmed, as the bullets have caused mortal wounds. One shot had shattered his chest bone, scattering bone fragments into his heart, one had punctured his lungs, which was fast flooding it with blood, and the last one was lodged in his side. Robin had just a few precious seconds of life left if she didn't work fast enough.

'Beastboy...Starfire, stay here and handle the situation. Cyborg, you're coming with me. I'm taking us to the Tower right now. It's the only place I can work without any distractions,' Raven said. Without waiting for a reply, she wrapped Robin and Cyborg in her powers, and transported them directly to the Tower's medical bay. As soon as she released him, Cyborg, ran to get the medical equipment ready. He grabbed bags of blood, saline solutions, bandages, and scissors, while Raven gently laid a heavily bleeding and unconscious Robin onto a flat, sterile table. Taking a deep breath, Raven started her healing. The first thing she did was take out the bullets, which was easy enough. But then came the hard part, healing the punctured lungs, and perforated heart. She worked on the lung first, given how it was only tissue. However, working on the shattered chest bone and heart was a whole different issue. She had to carefully extract every piece of bone lodged in the heart and piece it together to mend the bone. It was going to take precious time she didn't have, and energy she was running out of rapidly. While she worked, Cyborg quickly attached the drip, and hooked Robin up to the ventilating machines. Minutes passed, as Raven worked feverishly. 'Cyborg, you need to make an incision into his side and drain the blood from his body cavities, they're putting pressure on his other body organs.'

Cyborg obeyed, and still Raven kept going. Suddenly, the medical bay doors slammed open and Starfire rushed in. 'Please tell me he is still alive?' the pain in her voice unbearable. Her face was streaked with dirt and tears, and the anguish in her face was heart breaking. 'Starfire, where's Beastboy?' asked Cyborg.

'He said he would make sure everything was alright. He asked that you join him as the news has spread of Robin's injury,' she replied, her eyes fixed on Robin's unresponding form. Suddenly, Raven collapsed, exhausted onto the floor. She had just managed to fix the last injury, and had no more energy left. Cyborg glanced at the heart monitor. 'Shit, his blood pressure is too low, he's gonna-' but Cyborg's sentence didn't need to be finished as Robin flat-lined.

'Nau Robin!' cried Starfire, flying over to his side.

Cyborg swore again, before quickly changing his hands into defribulator pads. 'Don't you dare die on me you prick!' he screamed. He quickly charged up yelled 'Clear!' and shocked Robin. They all stared at the monitor. The flat line continued. Cyborg shocked him again, and again, and...finally, a collective relief as Robin's heart once again started beating. 'Raven, you've stabilized him, but he's still in critical condition. I'm patching him up before joining up with Beastboy. Starfire keep an eye on Robin after I'm done.' The alien princess nodded dully. Raven suddenly felt a pair of strong yet gentle arms lift her up from the floor. Just as her exhausted mind slipped into the blessed peace of sleep, she felt Starfire lay her on one of the hospital beds.

_Thank you so much for your help, friend Raven..._

And then everything went black.

TTTTT

PRESENT TIME

'...and it's with deep regret we confirm to the people of Jump City, that Robin was indeed, seriously injured. At the moment he is in a critical condition, but we believe that he shall make it. On behalf of Robin, and the rest of the Titans, I would personally like to thank the people of Jump City for their support. We deeply appreciate your concern during this dark period. Thank you.' Cyborg stepped down from the podium towards Beastboy, as flashes and questions bombarded him.

'That was Cyborg, confirming that Robin was critically injured today at approximately 12:43pm today. Reports say that a bank robb..' Beastboy switched the TV off with a sigh. The rest of the day had been hell. Cyborg had made Robin as comfortable as possible and was right now in the medical bay providing food for Starfire, who insisted upon staying the entire time by Robin's bedside. Raven, who had herself woken up from her exhausted sleep, now stood near the large windows overlooking the bay. Beastboy had made a cup of herbal tea to help her, and she had given him a tired yet warm smile. He walked over to her, and noticing that she was finished with the tea, took it gently from her hands and placed on the counter. As he walked back, the computer system bleeped, indicating an incoming call. Beastboy frowned when he saw that the call was from an undisclosed location. Apart from the other Titans network, he couldn't imagine where this call was coming from. When Raven too came over to look, her breath hitched slightly. Confused Beastboy watched, as she took out her communicator and said, 'Cyborg, Starfire? You'd better come up. We have a _very_ important call.' She switched on their computer, and Beastboy's jaw dropped when he saw who it was.

'Raven, Beastboy, ' the deep but authoritative male voice said in a stoic greeting.

Beastboy still remained speechless. _How did he know? _ Raven rolled her eyes at Beastboy's awestruck reaction.

'Batman.' She replied back in greeting.

TTTTT

'...and now he's unconscious but stable. Thanks to Raven's fast work, he's going to make it,' Cyborg said. Starfire and Cyborg's reaction had been much the same when they found out that Batman had called. How he found out so quickly that his ward had been injured was beyond them. He didn't say anything, and they knew better than to ask now.

'I'll send a Wayne corporate jet over. I'll have him treated, with discretion, by the best doctors. I expect that perhaps some of you would like to be with him as well, so Alfred will make the necessary arrangements,' Batman said, he's tone leaving no room for discussion.

Cyborg cleared his throat before swallowing slightly, and said 'with all due respect Mr. Batman, sir, I don't think moving Robin around at this stage is a good idea. It could become too complicated. We have the situation under control, and he's responding well to surgery and medica-'

'He's my ward...my responsibility. I'll take it from here Cyborg,' Batman replied. 'Besides, I _want_ to see him. What kind of father would I be if I didn't show any concern for my family member whose injured?'

'Batman, _please._' This was the first time Starfire spoke during the entire conversation. 'We are his family as well. I do not want....I could not bear the thought...' she trailed off, but the pain and pleading in her voice never waiverd. Batman silently studied her. He took a deep breath before replying. 'Fine, but I'm coming over in the next few days. In the meantime, I expect to receive daily reports and updates on his condition, am I understood?'

'Yes, Batman' nodded Cyborg it reply. With that, the caped crusader cut the call.

'Dude...'said Beastboy, his eyes all starry, 'I can't believe I _actually _saw him...the greatest detective in the _world._'

Cyborg stretched. 'Anyway, I don't know about ya'll but I'm beat. I've gotta do some repairs and recharge my batteries. Starfire will you be...?'

'I shall stay with Robin tonight. It is the least I can do,' she said softly, before turning to Beastboy and Raven. 'Friends, I shall see you tomorrow then for the breaking of fast?' she asked.

'Totally. See you later then, and you too Cy,' Beastboy called out. Cyborg waved his arm tiredly in reply, as both he and Starfire left the room. As soon as the doors shut, Beastboy turned to Raven. She was once again standing near the windows. Today had been a hard day, and Beastboy wanted nothing more that the comfort of her presence. They had almost lost a team mate, and Beastboy desperately wanted a distraction. He gently put his hands on her shoulders before turning her around, to face him. He was surprised to see that a tear had escaped from her eye to run down the curve of her cheek. He wiped it away, before gently cupping his hand on her face.

Raven leaned into his hand. Then, she did something she rarely did. She wrapped her arms tightly around Beastboy's neck, bringing him in for a close hug. Beastboy was a bit startled but quickly gained his senses and wrapped his arms protectively around her waist, so that she pressed completely against him. He soothingly rubbed her back as he felt her body shake softly with her tears. After a while she pulled back slightly, but then rested her head on his chest.

'It's okay Raven, he's going to be just fine. You and Cy did a great job,' he said.

'It's not that...I...Azar, I feel so horrible to say this, but...I thought...what if had been you? I don't know what I would've done.'

'Hey, it's only human to think that. Do you think I could have handled the situation any better if it was you?'

'I can heal myself Beastboy. But Robin..the others...you...you're all...if anything went wrong, you could _die.'_

'But it wasn't us, and Robin isn't going to die. We'll get through this, I promise you. The dude's gonna pull through. Batman didn't train him to be soft. And I'm perfectly fine, see?'

'Beastboy...I...I can't lose you. You're too..._special_.'

Beastboy could have sworn his heart skipped a beat when she said that. Never in all their years together would he have expected her to say that. But now, 2 months into a relationship and she was already starting to open up. He couldn't have been happier, and prouder of her. This was definitely, the highest point in what had turned out to be one of the shittiest days in his life. He pulled back his head to look at her amethyst eyes. Although her face didn't show it, in her deep eyes Beastboy could see the swirl of emotions...sadness...exhaustion...concern...and did he dare say it...affection perhaps?

Raven could feel the change in emotion in Beastboy, and knew in her heart, what he was about to do. Yet, the part of her mind that would have said to turn away, pull up her hood, and say good night for now, was strangely silent. Instead she found that one of her hands travelled up to pull his head down, and the other placed itself on his chest, feeling the warmth and hardness of muscles underneath the suit. Their lips connected softly, and at first it was gentle and timid, as if to test the boundaries. Then it gave away to something deeper, and they continued kissing, almost as if they were massaging each other's lips, Beastboy could feel a gentle and sweet passion that made him hunger for more, but he still controlled himself, knowing that at least they had taken the first step . Raven let out a contended sigh, but then she felt Beastboy's tongue gently graze her lips, seeking entrance into her mouth. Without even thinking, she opened her lips to receive him. Their tongues slowly explored each other's mouth, the initial hesitation giving away to a passionate confidence. After a few blissful seconds, they finally broke the kiss, but held their embrace and Beastboy rested his forehead against hers.

'Mmmmm,' he sighed contentedly. 'Finally...'

'What?' she asked looking into his emerald eyes.

'You've stopped running'


	4. Chapter 4

_**Authors note:**_ _sooooooooooooooo the Boy wonder has been shot? God how evil am I? I swear, though, that I'm not gonna subject him to anymore near-death tortures/experiences. _

_In this chapter we note the arrival of Batman, and continue with the progress of BB/Rae fluffiness...but wait...what's this? Do I spy turbulent waters ahead?? Read on to find out _

_As always reviews and comments are very much appreciated :D _

_TRANSLATION OF TAMARENIAN:_

_J'ann-my dear/ darling/sweetheart_

_Sk'torfa-strong_

**DISCLAIMER**_**: **__ I don't own TT..._

Pain...unlike anything he had ever felt before...oh God it hurt so much to breathe...and then...a warm tingling feeling...and the blessed embrace of unconsciousness. He was falling deep...deep into his mind...there was no direction...no speed...no purpose...just pure emptiness.

He was a child again, and his parents were there right beside him. 'You ready for this sweetie?' asked his mother. 'Remember, we're going to be out there with you.' His father laughed, 'don't worry honey, he's a flying Grayson. It's in his blood, he'll do just fine...isn't that right champ?' Robin nodded, his father's compliment boosting him with confidence. Seconds later he was flying through the air, being passed between his mother and father as they performed their daring trapeze act.

In the next instant, he was in the Batcave, and listening intently to his guardian's lecture. Batman loomed in front of him, and said, 'the most important thing to remember Richard, is that the only thing worse that a miss is a _near_ miss. In our line of business, there is no chance for error. If you want to survive then you're going to have to be one step ahead of your adversaries, and you need to be at your best. Anything less is absolutely unacceptable, because failure _isn't_ an option.'

Then he was in a middle of street, approaching this vision in a purple suit, who had the most gorgeous red hair he had ever seen. 'There. Now that it's off-' but she suddenly pulled him in and planted a kiss on him before shoving him back and said, 'If you do not wish to be destroyed, than you shall leave me alone!'

Then there was the snippets of conversation as he sometimes surfaced briefly into consciousness...

_Oh X'hal! _

_Nau....nau_

_He's flat lining!_

_Don't you die on me!_

_Need to eat something Star..._

_How long will he be like this? It has been...._

_Dude...wish there was a way to turn back time..._

_Gave us a hell of a scare...you dick..._

TTTTT

Raven floated in her lotus position in the medical bay. It was her turn to keep an eye on Robin, and the only way to do it was to get the alien princess to at least take a break. For the last 3 days, Starfire had kept a constant vigil by his bedside, seeing to his every need. She was exhausted, and although she denied it, all the Titans could see the toll this stress was taking on her. She was neglecting herself, as her normally bright eyes grew dull, the red hair lost some of its shine, and dark circles appeared under her eyes. Raven had had enough, and demanded that Starfire take a shower, eat something _besides_ mustard, and take a proper nap. She had protested, but none of the Titans were having it. She finally gave in, and now Raven waited for Cyborg to come, as he was next on duty. Even though Robin was still unconscious, based on his psychic aura, Raven hoped it would not be too long before he came out of his coma. Her thoughts were interrupted, as the medical bay doors swished open, and Cyborg walked in. Raven watched as Cyborg did the customary check to make sure Robin's vitals were stable.

'Everything looks okay. He still hasn't woken up has he?' Cyborg asked.

'No not yet. I was hoping he would, especially with Batman arriving soon,' Raven replied. 'I guess I'll head out then,' she said as she started walking towards the door. She stopped, realizing she wanted to ask him something. 'By the way, where's-'

'Grass stain's in the pool room, completing some laps,' Cyborg interrupted without looking back. Raven was taken slightly aback, not sure how he knew what she was going to ask. Cyborg glanced over his shoulder, and gave her a cheeky wink before continuing, 'well go on girl, I'm sure he's waitin' for ya as well.' She smirked to herself. Her brother knew her quite well it seemed. Without further hesitation she went to find her boyfriend...She suddenly stopped in her tracks..._Did I just call him my-_

_Indeed you did Raven_ said Wisdom with a smile. Raven shook her head, but couldn't keep the smile from slowly appearing, _the things that boy makes me think. _

TTTTT

Beastboy pushed his muscles to their limit, trying his best to squeeze in a few last laps. Since Robin's injury, they were prepared to expect a backlash of crimes, but surprisingly the last 3 days had been quiet. It was almost as if the villains were paying their respect to the wounded hero, by not doing anything at all. And without Robin making them train, this was a way for him to keep his body active, just in case anything did happen. At one point he saw Raven through the corner of his eye, as he lifted his head each time to breath, and decided to call it a day. As soon as he reached the edge, he saw that she had walked towards him, and now stood close by. 'Hey,' he called out in greeting. 'I've just finished; be right with you.' She nodded, and as he lifted himself easily out of the pool, she grabbed a nearby towel for him. She turned around facing him, and upon laying her eyes on him, any rational thoughts she was having moments ago was gone with the wind. Her eye twitched, and it certainly _wasn't_ because she was irritated. Brave let out a wolf whistle, and Happy just couldn't seem to contain herself.

Beastboy stood up straight as soon as he pulled himself out of the pool and ran his fingers through his hair, pulling it back, seemingly unaware of Raven's reaction to him. This was the first time Raven actually saw Beastboy without his uniform, let alone in a pair of rather small and _extremely_ fitting trunks, and had no idea he was hiding all of _that_ underneath. _Azar,_ she thought as she felt a blush spread over her face, _when did he get so..._

_Hot?_ asked Affection.

_Sexy? _offered Happy.

_Mouth-wateringly appealing?_ said Brave.

_Panty-droppingly gorgeous? _added Rude.

Raven was so occupied with admiring Beastboy's physique that she didn't even bother coming up with a scathing comment to her outspoken Emotions. And it certainly didn't help he was wet, and the drops of water seemed to shine on those rippling biceps, those wonderfully broad shoulders, that sculpted chest and amazing six-pack...she could go on.

As soon as he had pulled back his hair, and looked at Raven, Beastboy could see what was going through her mind. _Dude,_ he thought with a cocky smirk,_ she's totally checking me out! I should do this more often. _He made sure to take his time walking to her, pretending not to notice her staring. When he reached her, he took the towel from her limp hands and said, 'Oh Raven, stop. I'm blushing.'

She immediately snapped to attention, and deadpanned, 'don't know what you're talking about.' She quickly pulled up her hood, and surreptitiously touched her lips. She wasn't drooling was she? 'Riiiiight,' he drawled, that cocky grin never leaving his face. He draped the towel on his shoulders and said, 'I'm just going to take a quick shower. I'd invite you to join me.....' he trailed off waggling his eyebrows suggestively. She glared at him from under her hood. _I can't believe he actually has the balls to say that._ 'Move it or lose it,' she growled back, but not sounding as frightening as she normally would have. 'Okay...okay. I was only joking,' he said with a laugh as he turned to walk towards the showers. Just as he rounded the corner towards his destination, he turned back to call out, 'Or was I?'

TTTTT

A few minutes later they were both back in the common room. Raven sat in her customary position on the couch, reading a book, and nursing a hot cup of herbal tea while Beastboy sat beside her playing on his PSP. After a few minutes he threw it onto the coffee table, and said exasperatedly, 'Dude, I'm just so bored!' Turning towards her he said,'Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaae, I'm bored.' Without looking from her book she droned back, 'I heard you the first time, and don't call me Rae. Go check up on Robin if you have so much time to spare.'

'But, I've already done my shift,' he whined back. 'Hell, I've even donated blood to the guy!' Due to Beastboy's unique genes, his blood was so universally compatible that even Starfire's body didn't reject it, so the team decided that it would be best if he donated a certain amount for them to keep in storage for any medical emergencies. Given the present situation, they were all glad to have taken this precautionary measure.

Shifting into a cat, Beastboy gave one last shot to get the empath's attention. He let out a pitiful meow, and walked over to her. Then, he started rubbing himself repeatedly on her arm. 'You're going to get cat hair all over me. No, don't try giving me the big-eyed kitten look either. It doesn't work on me,' Raven said. But he was so persistent, that she finally sighed and put the book to a side. Seeing this Beastboy immediately leaped onto her lap, and curled up into a ball, before purring contentedly. Raven had no idea where she seemed to suddenly acquire all this new found patience with him, but she found herself slowly running her slender fingers through his soft fur, feeling the vibrations of his purr rumbling through his feline body. After a long while, he suddenly shifted back to his human form, and now Raven saw that her hands were running through his green hair and his body stretched out over the rest of the couch. She was caught by surprise by his sudden change, and this caused her powers to momentarily lash out and rip into pieces, the book she had been reading. 'Great, now look what you made me do,' she said, agitation hinting at her voice. With a wave of her hand she repaired the book, before fixing an icy stare at the green boy. His ears wilted slightly, and he gave her an apologetic look. 'Sorry Raven,' he said, 'it's just that your hands felt so nice running through my fur like that, I really wanted.....on second thought...I'll get up, I really shouldn't have done that.' He moved to lift his head off from her lap, but felt a gentle pressure on his shoulders push him back down. Surprised he looked up at her, and she said, 'it's alright. Just...give a little warning the next time. I don't want to...rush things.' He nodded his head, trying not to show how happy he was she was doing this, and closed his eyes to enjoy this sweet and intimate little moment between the two of them.

After a few minutes he felt her shift, and opened his eyes lazily to see why. He saw her face looming right over his, those amethyst eyes locking onto his own, and Beastboy's eyes opened wider when he saw her bend towards him. Her purple hair, slipped down like a veil, as if to block them from the prying eyes of the world. He's nostrils filled with the soothing scent of her lilac and lavender aroma. Even the Beast seemed really interested, sniffing the air hopefully as she approached him. He felt his eyes shut once more as her soft lips connected with his own in a timid little kiss. Beastboy raised one of his arms to hold her head in place, before he deepened the kiss. This was their second kiss in 3 days, and by God, if she wanted to kiss him, then he was certainly going to encourage her.

_Mate_, the Beast growled contentedly, causing something to change deep within Beastboy, and he literally felt a shock run through his system. It was almost like he was feeling..._sensing _Raven for the first time. Her very scent, her very taste, was just so _irresistible _he didn't know how he had never noticed that fact until now. HIs eyes suddenly snapped open, and he hastily broke the kiss. Beastboy quickly moved his head off Raven's lap, before scooting to the side on the couch, taking deep breaths to calm himself. _What the hell just happened? _he thought, his heart racing madly in his chest. 'What's wrong Beastboy?' Raven asked, shocked that he had suddenly pulled away from her like that. She reached out to touch his arm, but Beastboy visibly moved away from her. Raven quickly retracted her arm, the hurt in her eyes nearly breaking Beastboy's heart. 'So, that's how it's going to be,' she said before standing up and wrapping herself in her powers.

'No wait Raven, I didn't mean-' but she was already gone. _Shit, now I've done it_, he thought. Half of him wanted to run out the common room, and profusely apologize to Raven for his actions, but the other half knew it would be futile. How was he going to explain his actions, if he himself had no real clue as to what just occurred. The Beast had never spoken to him like that before, and this left Beastboy a little unnerved. Not to mention the fact the Beast had just _changed_ something deep inside Beastboy. It almost felt like the Beast had pushed something into place, and Beastboy had no idea how that was even possible.

_Mate gone?_ the Beast asked. _Find Mate_, it continued.

_Wow,_ thought Beastboy. _Since when can you talk?_

_Mate sad_, the Beast said, ignoring Beastboy's question. _Need Mate...find_, the Beast said, whining softly.

_This is the freakiest shit...ever. Why would this happen now?_ _How __**could **__this happen now? _Beastboy wracked his brain, trying to find an explanation. Suddenly, the answer hit him like a thunderbolt and he paled significantly. _How the hell am I gonna explain this to Raven?_ he thought with trepidation. _I wouldn't have expected this to happen in __**such**__ a short time._

TTTTT

With a shriek of power, Raven arrived in her room. She was so...unsettled by Beastboy's behaviour, that her bookshelf started shaking. Taking a deep breath to control her emotions, she quickly got into the lotus position to meditate. _Why did he-he-he_ _draw back like that? I th-th-thought he liked me_, stammered Timid. _For once, I actually don't have an answer for that_, said Knowledge, confusion clouding her voice.

Raven tried to hold back the tears that were welling in her eyes. Of course, how long would he have to spend time with her before realizing the truth. He never liked her at all, she was just a distraction. Clearly, seeing Robin and Starfire together for so long made him wrongly think he actually harboured some feelings towards her. He only wanted a distraction, and now that he finally admitted the truth to himself, he was ready to shake her off like an insignificant being. _Daddy was right. Who was I kidding? No one is going to like me...Azar, it's only been 2 months and I'm already acting..._no, she took a deep breath. She was _not_ going to think that.

Suddenly she heard a knock on her door, and she felt her throat well up with emotion as she heard Beastboy call out, 'Raven? I know you're in there. I can smell you. Please open the door, and at least let me expla-'

'I have nothing to say, Beastboy'

'I'm begging you Raven, don't turn me away. Give me a chance to explain.'

'I said leave me alone. I'm _not_ going to repeat myself.'

Raven heard nothing but silence after that. She was about to curl up in bed, her sadness and the effort of not crying suddenly making her feel exhausted, when Beastboy appeared in front of her. 'How the hell did you-'

'I turned into a termite and crawled under your door. I'm sorry, but I had to take drastic measures.'

'Get out Beastboy,' she growled. He reached out to hold her hands, but it was her turn to recoil back. Hurt splashed across Beastboy's face, and his ears wilted slightly. But he didn't give up. Instead, he strode forward and grabbed her shoulders. 'Please Raven, I am so _so_ sorry about what happened back there. It's just that the Beast, he spoke...for the first time...and it freaked the hell out of me. I didn't know how to react to that and-'

'Stop with the lame excuses Beastboy. You know the real reason is because you realize you never liked me. After all who could ever learn to like a filthy demon spawn like me? You just didn't realize what a mistake you made until now.'

Beastboy's grip tightened on her shoulders and he forced himself to control his voice before saying, 'don't _ever_ say that Raven. You are _not_ a filthy demon spawn. What even made you think that?'

'I don't know Beastboy, maybe it's when you literally flinched when I tried to touch you. I mean one moment you've got your tongue shoved in my mouth, and the next moment you pull away from me...what's up with that?' Raven said, her temper barely concealed behind the controlled flat tone.

'Raven, I'm sorry. It's just, the Beast...his attitude...changed towards you. And the sudden shift in emotions, it caught me off guard. I didn't mean to pull away from you like that...I just..' he trailed off.

'Just what Beastboy? Tell me what it is. Maybe I can help you,' Raven said.

'It's not that easy Raven. This is a lot more...complicated.'

'Then simplify it Beastboy. Be open with me. That's the only way any relationship can work. It's built on mutual honesty.'

'It's also built on trust. Do you trust me, that it was something a little complicated ...and..._embarrassing_ to explain right at this moment. But I swear, I'll tell you everything later.'

'For Azar's sake Beastboy, I'm your _girlfriend!_ If you can't tell me the truth now, then how am I supposed to believe you in the future?'

'Do you trust me?' he asked suddenly, looking deep into eyes. The fact that she had just referred to herself as his girlfriend boosted him with confidence. 'Do you trust that it's just a small insignificant thing for now, and that it doesn't in any way, shape or form affect the fact that I really _really _like you, and am willing to do anything in the universe to make this relationship work?'

This caused Raven to silently study him for a second. 'You're an empath,' he continued. 'So sense my feelings and tell me, am I lying to you? Has my feelings for you changed at all?' At that, Raven realized to her shock, that indeed his feelings hadn't changed. Well, not changed in the sense that it certainly hadn't decreased, but there was something _different_...something that, at the moment she really couldn't put her finger on, and that bothered her slightly.

'No,' she said after a length, 'you're not lying. I'm...sorry for over-reacting like that. But...why did you pull away?' Instead of answering her, he pulled her into a tight hug, which surprised her, but she nevertheless returned it. 'It's something I'll explain to you in due time, I promise. You know I'd rather cut a limb that hurt your feelings. You..mean too much to me Raven. I would never..._could _never, intentionally cause you any pain.'

For now, Raven decided to leave it at that.

TTTTT

_Swish..._

Cyborg looked up from the magazine he was reading to see who walked into the medical room. He frowned when he saw...'Starfire, hun, you need to go back and rest some more.'

'It is alright friend Cyborg, I have rested enough. I thank you for your concern, but I can do the 'taking it from here' for now.'

'Starfire, I'm not sure about this. I mean ya've already been here for the last 3 days.'

Starfire gave Cyborg a tired smile, and said, 'I think you have forgotten that I am a _warrior_ princess Cyborg. I have been trained from a very small age to withstand tremendous amounts of...I think the word is...stress. I have endured far worse circumstances than 3 days without sleep. I would not be here if I were not sure that I am well again, and able to take care of Robin.' Cyborg sighed in defeat, knowing that there was no way Starfire was going to change her mind. 'Fine. Give a holler if ya need anything 'kay?' Starfire nodded before moving towards Robin's bedside. Cyborg couldn't help but smile to himself as he left the medical bay. _Boy blunder, you got yourself a gem of a gal. I hope you realize that._

Starfire sat gently on the edge of Robin's bed. She lovingly stroked the hair strewn across his forehead. How she wished she could bring him back from the coma, and keep him from ever getting injured. She was missing him so much...the way he smiled, the way he looked at her, and the way he would so patiently teach her the ways of the earth. _J'ann, I would give anything to have to hold me in your arms again...to have to kiss me with so much passion I would start to float. _Starfire felt her throat swell with sadness...an emotion she swallowed with great difficulty.

'You must get well soon Richard,' she said. For the first time out of the privacy of her room, did she ever refer to him by his _real _name. Words couldn't express her happiness when he had trusted her enough to not only remove the mask, but tell her the name and the life story of the boy, _man_, she corrected, who wore it. But that was a tale for another day. 'Your father will come to visit soon. You must show him that you are _sk'torfa_.' She leaned down and placed a tender kiss on his lips, further saddened by the fact those lips couldn't kiss her back. With a sigh, she settled for another day of praying to X'hal that Robin would once again wake up.

TTTTT

Beastboy walked back to the common room. After this little hiccup with Raven, he realized that it would be wise to give her a little space. Plus, he needed this time as well to sort through his own thoughts and emotions. The Beast had pretty much thrown a wrench into any plans of taking things slow now. _I gotta admit, you have just perfect timing dude_ he though sarcastically to himself. As the common doors swished open, he saw Cyborg reading a paper thoughtfully at the kitchen counter table.

Cyborg nodded his head in greeting before saying, 'Well, at least we know the big B is gonna be in town in 2 more days.' Beastboy raised an eyebrow questioningly before Cyborg tossed the newspaper he had been reading. _BILLIONAIRE WAYNE CLOSES MULTIMILLION DOLLAR DEAL, _read the opening headline. 'I don't know how he did it, but it seems Bruce Wayne just happens to be coming to Jump City to close a deal with a shipping company he just bought. Papers claim it seemed like a spur of the moment decision, but hell, we know better. Man, he really must care about Robin a lot. I can only imagine the strings he had to pull to manage this one.' Beastboy put the paper down, and silently twiddled his thumbs. Cyborg noticed how unusually quiet his best friend was and asked, 'What? Raven pissed at ya again? What did you do this time?'

'It's not Raven...well...not entirely...' Beastboy said, debating whether or not to tell Cyborg what was happening with the Beast.

'What is it? Ya can tell me,' Cyborg prompted, sensing that Beastboy needed someone to talk to.

'Hmm...alright...but dude, this is _not_ a joke, and I want you to promise on the T-car that you will _never _breathe a word to this to anyone, especially not Raven.' Cyborg nodded, his interest heightening. What could possibly be so important that Beastboy couldn't share it with Raven? He settled down to listen to what the changeling had to say.

TTTTT

Hours passed.

It was almost dawn and the sun seemed to peak hesitantly over the horizon, debating whether or not to come out, bringing with it a new day. Starfire gazed out the medical bay windows out onto the bay. She stood near the large windows as she stroked a sulking Silky. It seemed that Robin's accident had meant she didn't pay much attention to the larvae for the last few days, and Silkie didn't like it one bit. So now he warbled contentedly, claiming back the debt of affection that he rightfully deserved from Starfire.

'You know, when the sunlight hits your hair like that...almost looks like it's on fire. Honestly, I could stare at it all day,' a hoarse voice said from behind her. Starfire nearly dropped Silkie in surprise. She couldn't whip around fast enough, praying that the voice she heard had not been a hallucination. 'Robin!' she shrieked happily and flying over to his bedside. It took all her will power to give him a bone crushing hug.

'Hey there Star,' he said tiredly, his hoarse voice just above a whisper. He raised a hand to stroke Starfire's face. She leaned into his touch, basking in the joy that he was finally awake. There had been so many things she had wanted to say, but now, she seemed at a loss for words. 'Robin, I-'

'Ssh,' he said, placing a finger on her lips. 'There's something I have to do first. Could you help me sit up? I'm still a little weak.' She obeyed quickly, trying to be as gentle as possible, as she saw he visibly flinch from the effort. 'Robin,' she started, 'when did you awaken? I must tell-' Without saying a word, Robin cupped her face in his hands, pulled her forward to give a blistering kiss. In the back of her mind, Starfire knew she should go tell the rest of her friends the great news, but with each second he continued to passionately kiss her, even bringing his arms around to gingerly hold her close, that thought became more and more insignificant.

'I always knew you had a thing for redheads,' a deep voice said.

Robin and Starfire couldn't break their kiss faster. They were both shocked at the sudden intrusion, not so much as the timing (Cyborg and Beastboy had seen to that over the past 3 years) but who it was that now stood at the entrance of the medical bay doors.

'Hello Richard, I hope I'm not...intruding,' said the man. Walking towards them he continued, 'And you, young lady, must be Starfire. I've heard much about you, Richard made sure of that. I don't think we've met before. I'm Batman, Richard's father.'


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's note:**__ so Robin in finally wake!! YAY!! Also we welcome Batman into the scene..._

_Sorry for taking such a long time with the update…uni's a bitch… _

_I would like to say more...but i'm really not sure what to say :P ....um...eat your...vegetables? always use a cond...actually scratch that..I haven't rated this story that highly yet..._

_Without further ado...we continue our tale...(please take the time to R&R...I would love to hear your thoughts) _

_**DISCLAIMER:**_ _I don't own TT...wish I did...then we'd have season 10!!! :D :D :D_

'Batman.' Robin cleared his throat, and cast a glance at a furiously blushing Starfire. _Damn that man. Impeccable timing. _'I had no idea that you would be here. What about Gotham?'

'I had Superman drop by for the time being. Batgirl will make sure he sticks to...character. Speaking of which, she and Alfred both send their love, seeing as neither could come,' the Dark Knight said.

'So, how did you get in here without the rest of the team knowing?' Robin asked curiously. Batman simply gave a smirk, before coming to stand beside him. 'I would like a word with you,' he said before looking at Starfire and continuing, 'privately.'

Starfire looked a little surprised, but didn't argue, and moved to leave the room, when Robin quickly grabbed her arm, holding her in place. 'Actually, you can stay.' Looking at Batman he continued, 'Anything to have to say to me, you can say in front of her. She's more than-' Starfire interrupted him, 'It is alright Robin. I shall give you both the privacy. I will inform our friends about the good news, I am sure they will be very excited to see you well again.' She gave his hand a gentle squeeze, nodded her head respectfully at Batman, and left the medical bay with Silkie in her arms.

Batman watched her leave, his expression impossible to read. ' She's quite the looker. I had no idea Tamaranien females were that attractive.' Robin's eyes narrowed out of annoyance. He didn't like where this conversation was going and hastened to change the topic.

'So what are you doing here?'

'Honestly? I came to check on you. When I heard that my ward had suffered a life threatening injury, I was naturally concerned.'

'Oh really?'

'What? A father can't be concerned for his son?'

'That's it?'

'That, and also to tell you that you're getting soft. You would have never sustained such an injury if you were still under my-'

'No, you're right about that,' Robin interrupted angrily, 'I'd be _dead_. We're a team, a concept that's still new to you. If they hadn't been there to save me, I think the outcome would have been far worse.'

'I'm not sure I like your tone _Richard_. I'm still your father and I expect you to show me some respect. I've raised you better than that,' Batman said, his tone dangerously calm. But then it softened, ' You have to be more careful. I didn't come here to fight with you, I came because I was concerned for your well-being.'

Robin sighed in defeat. 'You're right. I'm glad you came…Dad. So tell me, how are things back in Gotham?'

TTTTT

Beastboy rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Yawning, he shut off the annoying alarm, and struggled to get out of bed. _Man, why does 10 o'clock come so early in the morning?_ he groaned to himself. Morphing into a cat he stretched his tight muscles, and changed back to human form before continuing the same routine of getting ready for the day.

Once he arrived at the common room, and saw the Titan leader resting on the couch, he cried out happily, 'Robin! Dude it's great to see you awake!' Robin smiled, and was about to say something, but then noticed the look on Beastboy's face when he saw who else was actually in the room.

_Holy shit, it's actually him!_ Beastboy thought.

Raven qwerked an eyebrow, not at all surprised to see Beastboy's eyes turn into shining stars as he stared at the Dark Knight. Batman, as usual, seemed unfazed. He nodded his head in greeting before returning back to his conversation with Cyborg. 'So you'll be able to send me preliminary plans by...?'

'Well, considering where you're saying this station will be located, I think it'll take me about 2 months to figure out a replenishable power source, not to mention drawing up circuits, rough engineering plans...' Cyborg continued counting off.

Batman interrupted his flow thought, 'Take your time Cyborg. Something of this scale requires that.'

'And money, Batman. I mean…I'm talking dangerously close to the-'

'Don't worry about that Cyborg. Don't spare any expenses for this project. I expect only the best.'

Cyborg smirked. Oh he was gonna have a lot of fun with this. 'You got it Batman.'

Turning back to Robin, who was sitting comfortably on the sofa, thanks to the affections of a doting alien princess, Batman said, 'I need to be going. Bruce Wayne is still supposed to be in Gotham getting ready to make this shipping deal come through. Speaking of which, I almost forgot, do you boys have any nice tuxedoes?'

All the boys shot the caped crusader a puzzled look.

'Judging by those expressions, I take it the answer is no. Well, better make sure you get them soon. And girls, obviously you'll need to shop for some gowns.'

'And exactly what would we need tuxedoes and gowns for?' Robin asked.

'Because I'll be throwing the Titans a ball after my work here is finished. Figured you all need a break.'

Robin couldn't help but say, 'Can't you ditch the playboy image…just once? It's not like your getting any younger.' The frustration in his tone only served to make Batman's lips twitch in humour.

'Why? Bruce Wayne has a reputation to maintain. Besides I've already made all the arrangements with Jump City's mayor.' Batman continued, 'Plus, I took the liberty to send out invites to the other Titans. Seriously, you might want to upgrade the encryption security code of the Titan Network. I didn't even have to call Batgirl to hack it.'

Smirking to himself Batman turned, his cape dramatically swirling around him. 'In the meantime, I have to go. See you all in 2 days. ' He walked out the common room doors, leaving the Titans frozen in their positions.

It wasn't until they heard the sound of powerful jets roaring to life, and a sleek black plane fly off into the horizon, that the Titans regained their senses.

'He's joking, right?' Beastboy asked nervously.

TTTTT

Several words could describe the next few days following Batman's visit. Hectic wouldn't even _begin_ to start it.

After dealing with the initial shock of actually having to attend a ball at such short notice, there was the flow of calls that flooded the heroes. Of course they expected, and deeply appreciated, the concern, and visits the other Titans made for Robin. Each spoke of their relief that their leader was once again well.

Beastboy slapped Robin on the back good naturedly. 'Why wouldn't he be? He's got the medical marvel known as my blood coursing through half his body!' he said, flashing a thumbs-up to Kid Flash, and his team, who were at the moment, talking to Robin via the telecom system.

'Thus making me half the man I once was,' Robin said with a smirk.

'Nope, gel-boy. It makes you twice the man you used to be.'

Robin opened his mouth to reply, before he realized he actually _didn't _have a good comeback for that. He flushed in embarrassment. Jinx's laughter made him quickly shut his mouth.

'Looks like someone's spending a _lot _of time with Raven. Guess she's rubbing off on you, eh Beastboy?' she teased.

It was Beastboy's turn to flush with embarrassment. He mumbled some excuse before bolting for the common room door. The laughter of Jinx and her team followed him all the way out.

TTTTTT

Raven entered her room, and dropping the shopping bag on the floor, collapsed onto her bed. Starfire had just dragged her to half the malls in Jump City trying to pick up a nice gown and accessories for the both of them. Right now her feet were aching from all the walking the excited Tameranien had subjected her to.

_Damn her alien endurance_, Raven thought. It would have been nice to fly around to their destinations, but with the increased media frenzy that had poured into the city because Bruce Wayne was in town and throwing a massive ball, they both opted to go out in their civilian identities. It was easier to go out with hologram rings, since they wouldn't be mobbed by the paparazzi.

She got off the bed and carefully extracted the gown from the package. It had been quite expensive, but she hoped it would be worth it. Strangely enough, she was actually looking forward to wearing it, not because she wanted to go to this ball, but rather, she really wanted to see the changeling's reaction to it.

_Ooooh, look at that. Someone's excited. Too bad you didn't get matching underwear for that, _Brave chimed. _Oh wait…you did! _She and Happy high fived, while Rude double over with laughter.

Raven ground her teeth, trying to ignore the blush that arose on her face. _Here we go again,_ she thought. Sometimes, Raven absolutely _hated_ the fact her Emotions were separate entities.

TTTTT

Robin zipped the pants of his suit. It had been a real challenge to find a tuxedo at such short notice, but it had to be done. He quickly slipped on his shirt and was buttoning his cuffs when a pair of arms wrapped around his torso. He smiled. God, it felt so good to have her hold him like this again. Too bad there wasn't enough time to do…more.

Robin brought his own hands to gently cover Starfire's.

'Hey,' he said. 'You should be getting ready too, you know.'

Starfire simply humphed, and he turned around, making sure her arms still remained wrapped around him. His own hands wandered around her waist, feeling the silk robe that covered her body. She had just finished taking a shower, and the smell of her strawberry shampoo filled his senses. She drew back slightly to run both her hands on his chest, examining the skin. Both Cyborg and Raven had done an amazing job in healing him, and there was barely a scar to indicate the trauma his body had been subjected to a little over a week ago.

She raised an eyebrow when she heard the soft moan escape his lips. She stopped stroking his chest, and he opened his eyes, wondering why she had ceased with her motions. 'You are right,' she smiled softly. 'Now is not the time for such…actions. I shall proceed to get ready.'

With that she whipped around, her thick hair flicking his face. 'Now go, I require the privacy so that I may prepare myself for this ball.'

'Privacy?' he smirked. 'From what? It's not like I haven't already see-'

His words were cut off by a perfectly aimed pillow to his head.

TTTTT

The male Titans waited patiently (well two of them anyway) in the common room. They all shuffled around, gently tugging at the collars of their tuxes.

'Dude, what is taking them so long? We've been waiting here…for like, forever' whined Beastboy.

'They're girls, string bean…they're supposed to be fashionably late. It's a prerogative,' Cyborg said.

Beastboy simply stuck his tongue out at his friend. Robin rolled his eyes. Right now he just wanted to get this ball over and done with. Even though he attended a fair share of charity balls as Richard Grayson, he still found it annoying. He wasn't much of a party person like his guardian, but right now he had little choice in the matter.

Suddenly the common room doors slid open, and when Robin looked up and laid his eyes on Starfire, he could feel his heartbeat start to race. Starfire was wearing a beautiful blue strapless gown. Although the upper torso was fitting, below the waist it expanded, and had an intricate design of frills and sequins. There was also a tastefully placed split in the gown that showed off those wonderfully tanned legs of hers. Her eye makeup was done to complement the dress, and her hair spilled artfully across her shoulders and back.

'Starfire you look absolutely gorgeous,' Robin breathed walking forward to take her hands in his. She smiled, and noticed Beastboy looking past Robin's shoulder. She laughed softly at the expectant expression on his face and said, 'Fear not, friend Beastboy she is right behind me.'

Just as she said that, Raven walked timidly into the common room. Beastboy's jaw nearly cracked the pavement when he saw her. She wore just a hint of makeup, but her eyes had been completed tastefully, giving them a smoky, smouldering look. She was wearing a stunning black gown (no surprise there) that fit her shapely body like a glove, accentuating her womanly curves. She barely managed to conceal the smile that teased at her lips when she saw the expression on Beastboy's face. She took it one step further, by turning around slowly to let him see her entire attire, allowing him to see what was, or rather, what _wasn't_ covering her back.

'You like it?' she asked shyly.

Beastboy suddenly felt that his tuxedo collar was too tight, and tugged at it. So many words sprang to mind, but damn it, why couldn't he say anything? Instead, he lifted one of her hands, and pressed his lips against the soft, slender fingers. Raven smiled, satisfied by his answer.

Cyborg let out a wolf-whistle. 'Will ya look at that? I don't know 'bout ya'll,' he said, gesturing at the boys, 'but I'm having a fit. You both look absolutely ravishing.' He walked forward, and wrapped both the girls in a warm embrace. Then, he placed both his hands of each of their waists and led them towards the common room door.

'Don't wait up you two,' he called over his shoulder to Robin and Beastboy. 'Me and my girls are gonna rock this ball! And maybe some good lovin' later on, if ya catch my drift,' he finished in a cheeky tone.

Starfire giggled, and Raven simply rolled her eyes, but smirked nevertheless. They both thumped him on his metallic chest with identical swats.

'Over my dead body!' cried out Robin.

'Get your own girl, tin-man,' growled Beastboy.

TTTTTTT

Even before the limo that Bruce had arranged for their arrival reached their destination, they could tell the billionaire had gone all out for this event. Robin let out a groan when he saw the massive crowd of cheering citizens, lights, and oh God, were those _fireworks_ as well?

'This is going to be…a long night,' he said. Turning to his team his said, 'Okay, you know what to do. As soon as we get out, you're going to be bombarded with questions, flashlights, screaming fans and whole lot more crap I can't think of right now. Remember what I said, stay calm, stay focused, and whatever you do…don't stop smiling,' he looked to Raven, 'even if it kills you.'

'Loosen up dude, this isn't a mission,' Beastboy said. 'We're here to have fun, so let's do just that.'

'Fine,' said Robin. 'Just don't do anything stupid, understand?' He turned as the chauffeur opened the door. 'Ready? Let's go.'

'Dude, why would I do that?' Beastboy grumbled under his breath, but nevertheless moved to leave the car. After Robin and Starfire exited first, he followed. He smiled for the cameras and waved his hand in greeting before turning around to assist Raven out of the car as well. Beastboy could see the effort it took her not to make a portal right at that second and leave. He quickly put an arm around her waist, and whispered delicately in her ear. 'Don't worry this will be over soon. I'm right here with you.'

She nodded her head slightly indicated she understood. They moved to let Cyborg exit the limo last. A fresh wave of cheers and screams echoed out, and his face broke into a large smile. He waved both his hands, and with ease and confidence he manoeuvred around the entrance, striking poses for the cameras, signing autographs, and giving an interview or two.

'God, when did he get so good at this,' asked Beastboy.

'I don't know, but we're going to have to be just like that in approximately 2 seconds,' Raven said, just before a microphone was thrust into both their faces.

'Raven…Beastboy. I'm Karen from _Gossip Inc. _A little bird tells me, the two of you have been spotted around town lately…alone. What have you got to say?' the reporter asked excitedly.

_Oh shit. _

TTTTTT

Beastboy sat down beside Raven at one of the tables in the hall. He handed her the glass of champagne in his hand, before breathing out a sigh of relief, glad to finally get the chance to sit down.

As soon as they all managed to greet the other Titans who had arrived for the evening, they were welcomed by a cordial and charismatic Bruce Wayne, who guided them smoothly into the hall.

The last 2 hours had passed away quite quickly. Amid circulating among the guests, and dancing with the occasional fan, tonight wasn't turning out to be so bad, or so Beastboy thought. He caught sight of a strikingly handsome man, with midnight black hair and eyes ease his way to their table, followed closely by another good-looking, orange haired man.

Aqualad and Speedy both approached the table where the original Titans sat at, before branching off towards both the girls. Speedy leaned down to whisper something in Starfire's ear, who giggled in reply, and before a disbelieving Robin, she excused herself, and slipped off with Speedy onto the dance floor.

It was this exact reason, that Raven was not that surprised when Aqualad stopped in front of her and said in that seductively deep voice of his, 'Raven, might I have the honour of the next dance?' He extended a hand and waited for her answer.

Raven felt the sharp emotion of jealousy prick up in Beastboy. She, nevertheless, looked at him questioningly. She was surprised when he didn't refrain her, but simply give her the smallest of nods. She turned back to the expectant Aqualad. 'Why not?' she droned, and got up as well.

TTTTTT

Cyborg sat down on the table, having gotten another helping of food. He was about to start gobbling it all down when he noticed how quiet Beastboy was sipping his drink. He looked around and when he saw who Raven was dancing with at the moment, a knowing smirk crossed his face.

'You know, if you just went up and asked her, she'd dance with you as well.'

Beastboy's attention focused on his friend. 'It's alright…I mean, I'm not…I don't want to seem like the jealous and clingy type you know? She's allowed to…interact with other guys. I'm perfectly cool with that.'

'That's all fine and dandy grass stain, but that doesn't necessarily mean she doesn't want you to be a little possessive now and then. It shows you care.'

Beastboy frowned, not sure what Cyborg was hinting at.

'Oh for the love of God, Beastboy. Get off your ass, and ask her to dance with you. The band is almost finished playing. We'll be leaving in an hour or so.'

Beastboy hesitated just for a second. Then, he quickly got up, fixed his purple vest, and tie. God damn it, he _was_ going to do this. He couldn't be afraid any longer, and be shy and timid all the time. Cyborg was right. Now and then, he was going to have to push just a little harder to get what he truly wanted. And right now, he _really_ wanted to dance with a certain lilac-haired sorceress who had cast a spell on his heart.

TTTTTT

Raven danced silently with Aqualad. Even though he was from the sea, he was surprisingly quite good, and Raven was actually enjoying herself. She was-

'Mind if I cut in?' a voice asked from behind Aqualad.

Both he and Raven looked around to see Beastboy standing confidently, that charming toothy grin on his face.

Aqualad bowed graciously, and said, 'Not at all. Raven, thank you for the pleasure of your company. You are an amazing dancing partner.' Lifting her hand to lips, he placed a chaste kiss on her fingers before once again smoothly easing his way out of the dance floor.

Beastboy fought not to whack Aqualad when he kissed Raven's hand, but now, he pushed aside any insecurities, and enveloped Raven's hand in his, and pulled her closer before placing a hand on small of her bare back. His breathing hitched a little, when he felt her soft skin under his. Deep within him, the Beast growled in satisfaction, enjoying the feeling of her closeness.

'I was wondering when you were going to ask,' she said softly.

'Yeah well, I can be quite thick at times,' he replied.

'No kidding,' she droned in reply. 'I was wondering whether I'd have to send telepathic hints.'

He simply smiled, and they continued to dance, soaking in the feeling of each other. After a while she laid her head on his shoulder, allowing herself to come even closer to him. Beastboy lowered his head to gently rest on hers. His thoughts wandered, and the songs slowly melded one into the other as they continued swaying to the music.

God, he could stay like this forever. He couldn't begin to describe how happy he was that Raven was beginning to open up to him. The first 2 months had been difficult, but now, she was really making an effort as well in this relationship. She was smiling more often, she spent more time with him, and hell, they had even kissed. Deep down, he couldn't help but wonder how he could have been happier if she wasn't in his life.

He silently thanked Starfire, knowing that it was that little speech she had given the both of them that forced them to actually look beyond their differences and look and how similar they really were. It was just the nudge they needed to step into this unfamiliar territory. But, at least they were doing it together.

'Hey Rae,' he said gently in her ear.

'What?' she asked, looking into his emerald eyes. Azar, there was that expression again.

She couldn't help but feel a small shiver run down her spine when she felt his warm breath on her skin.

He was encouraged, when she didn't chastise him for using a nickname. 'You look really beautiful tonight. The most gorgeous girl in this entire ball.'

'Oh? So you've had the time to look at other girls did you?' she teased him.

He humphed in frustration. 'You know what I mean. Take a compliment.'

She smirked. 'Thank you. You look…handsome too. I have to admit, you cut quite the dashing figure in a suit,' she added shyly. She averted her eyes down to his chest, not wanting him to see the blush that crept into her cheeks.

Beastboy could feel a small flutter in his heart when she paid him that compliment. They were few and far between, but at least it was a start.

TTTTTTT

It was quite late by the time they finally made it back to the Tower. The team had made sure to say a last few words of parting to Bruce before they made their escape, knowing they wouldn't have a chance to meet up with him before he left town.

Starfire laid her head wearily on Robin's shoulder. Both he and Cyborg had taken off their ties, once they got back into the limo, but poor Beastboy was another story. He was so tired, he had passed out and was right now snoring softly on Raven's shoulder.

'Hehe…poor string-bean. Can barely hold his liquor. So who wants to help me shave his head and eyebrows eh?' Cyborg asked excitedly. He quickly deflated when Raven shot him an acid stare. 'Or maybe not,' he sweatdropped.

Once they got to their designated drop off point, they woke up the slumbering changeling, and got out of the limo before thanking the driver. With a quick spell, Raven opened a portal back to the Tower's common room.

They all said their good-nights, and each departed to their own chamber for the night. Raven declined any help to get Beastboy to his room. She supported his weight, since was once again rapidly starting to fall asleep once more. She walked them both through a portal directly through to his room, and just about managed to let him fall in the bottom bunk bed.

'Mmohgpph' he mumbled in his sleep, as she removed his shoes and socks. Next she gently phased off his clothes, so that he now lay on his boxers. She quickly covered him up with a blanket, thus saving her from the temptation of ogling him.

She gently brushed the green hair from his face, before kissing him softly on the forehead. 'Good night Beastboy,' she whispered.

'Luv ya Rae,' he mumbled in his sleep, before snorting and rolling to his side.

Raven froze, her mind a blank when he uttered those words. The lights in his room flicked, as Raven momentarily lost control of her powers. _He's just really tired. That's sleep talk_, she thought, and composed herself.

She knew she shouldn't make a big deal of this, but she would be lying if she didn't say her heart leapt when he said those words. Was a little over two months really enough time to realize you…loved someone? Her reasoning told her it was impossible, but then, technically they had known each other far longer than that. Could it be…?

She shook her head, as if to clear her mind. Right now, she didn't want to think about this. Instead she swallowed down the lump that gathered in her throat, and got up to silently leave the room.

She turned off the lights, and slipped away to the privacy and safety of her own room.

_Oh Azar, am I falling for him? Or have I already fallen, and didn't realize until now? _


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note: **__Righto…in my opinion, I think this story is going a little slow, hence I shall try to pick up the pace a bit..by next chapter I promise…_

_Uni work is keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeling me….so please be patient with any updates, as I'm afraid I can't be as regular with them as I used to be…_

_The events in this story take place 4 months after the ball…just to let ya'll know…_

_**DISCLAIMER: **__I don't own TT…._

Cyborg eased the T-car into the garage. After switching off the ignition he got out, giving a customary glance-over to make sure his little baby was still okay. Although nothing had happened on his way back from the store, he was still a little anal about his car.

After establishing that it was indeed in pristine condition, he opened up his communicator and called Beastboy.

'Yoh, BB, stop smooching Raven, and get your skinny green ass down here. I can't take up all this food by myself you know!'

'Hey!' yelled back the flustered changeling. 'I was….' any argument lost all strength when a furiously blushing Raven could be seen lifting up her hood. Beastboy mumbled something, trying to brush his rumpled uniform.

'I'm sorry,' smirked back Cyborg, 'I didn't hear that, come again? Or has Raven already seen to that?'

'Piss off Cy. Besides, you want my help or not?'

'Yeah yeah…just hurry up man. There's still a lot to do, and we don't have much time before the rest of the Titans start showing up.'

The Titans had decided that since they all worked so hard to keep their respective cities, along with the world, safe from any harm, they all needed time to relax now and then. So it was decided that once every few months they would specifically set aside a day for a get- together. It was a chance to meet each other, swap stories, get drunk (well now that almost all of them could legally drink, this was inevitable), and basically shake the stress away. After all, they deserved it.

Today was the eve of the party, and the original Titans were happy to be the host for this event. Well 4 of them were….Raven didn't give a damn, as long as she got her chance to mediate at one point.

By the time Beastboy arrived at the garage, Cyborg had taken all the food out and made a neat pile on a nearby table.

'About time! Couldn't you turn into a cheetah or something and come faster?'

'Oh bite me, Cy. I mean…_seriously dude_…I hate your timing,' growled Beastboy as he moved to pick up the cartons of drinks.

'Oh kinky…I had no idea you swung both ways…but a certain empath would hurl me into a dimension of pure horror, and no possibility of return if I even considered such a deed.'

Beastboy shot his metallic friend a look of disgust, but Cyborg simply gave a deep guffaw, and slapped the changeling on the back, making him drop a rather large and heavy carton onto his foot.

Cyborg had never heard 'fuck' used so many times in one single sentence.

TTTTTT

Starfire hummed around the common room, taking down a few decorations. She had been a little… enthusiastic… about meeting her friends again, and had gone all out to make the common room decorated for the evening. It had taken a rather significant amount of Robin's time to figure out a way to make the alien princess realize her error, without hurting her feelings in the process. However, nearly 4 years of experience of being in a relationship was making him quite adapt at the job.

She was in the process of trying to extract some inflated balloons that only X'Hal knew how Silkie got into his mouth, when the telecom system rang out. She flew over to see who the caller was, and was delighted to see it originated from Tamaran.

She had no sooner flicked on the screen when Galfore's booming voice filled the room, 'KORIAND'R! LESEIN BUMGORF! How have you been?'

'K'norfka Galfore!' squealed Starfire, ecstatic to see her guardian again after a long time. 'I am well. How have you been? And k'terfka Lymia? She is well?'

'Yes, bumgorf, my wife is also good. So, when will you come over to see us again eh? It has been too long, and you have not even met little Vyfore yet. He is very excited to meet his elder _uppa_.'

'Oh Galfore, I would love to. Things have just been very…busy here. But, I think it will be possible to come in the next few months,' Starfire would have continued to babble on in excitement, but there was something about the way her k'norfka looked at her that made her realize that this may not necessarily be one of the customary calls he made in the past. His face may have been in a big smile, but his eyes…they betrayed his true emotions. He was clearly hiding _something_.

'K'norfka…is everything alright? You seem a little…preoccupied,' asked Starfire curiously.

Galfore opened his mouth, ready to boom out a protest, but then fell silent. He wished he didn't have to make this call, wanted with all his heart to not burden his beloved bumgorf with this troubling news, but he knew that this was unavoidable. He was helpless to do anything else, his hands bound by centuries old tradition.

'Koriand'r,' he started slowly. 'It is time for…,' he hesitated, cursing himself for having to do this, 'the _land'ha_.'

Starfire's face paled impossibly.

TTTTT

Robin was walking by the common room, shuffling some papers in his hands, when he heard the sound of two voices talking. He recognized Starfire voice, and decided to investigate. Even through the doors, he could hear the urgency in her tone.

As soon as he walked in, he saw the large red-bearded face of Galfore fill the intercom screen. The minute he entered though, both Galfore and Starfire ceased their rapid conversation. Galfore quickly said something in Tamaranian, to which Starfire shot him an annoyed look before saying, 'He is one of my closest friends. He, of all people deserves to know.'

Galfore took a deep breath, but remained silent, while Robin raised an eyebrow in confusion. He greeted Galfore, but couldn't help but wonder what was going on.

Looking towards Starfire, he asked, 'Star…is something wrong?'

Starfire swallowed, knowing this conversation was inevitable. 'Do you remember a few years back, when we travelled to my home planet? My sister, Blackfire, had forced me to marry a _retfa,_ an outsider,in order to maintain peace on my planet?'

Robin nodded, remembering how the team had gone through so much stress during Starfire's forced betrothal.

Starfire continue, 'In the following fight that ensued, I successfully defeated Komand'r, who at that time was the rightful heir to the royal throne. I…' she hesitated to take a deep breath. 'In doing so, I have, in the eyes of my people, not only rightfully challenged her position as the Grand Ruler, but overthrew her, making me the Queen, and current Grand Ruler of Tamaran.'

'But,' Robin interrupted, confused. 'I thought you placed Galfore as the leader.'

'I did. However, the throne of Tamaran, is and always will belong to the And'r lineage. It was something my _my'ada_, I think the term is great-grandfather, made sure of. Therefore, regardless of whether I have placed the duties of leadership onto Galfore, the throne shall remain mine…as it is my birthright. Should I have children in the future, then that duty, passes onto them.'

'So what's the problem here?'

'When my great-grandfather became the Grand Ruler, he had to pass a test that was decided by the Council of E'yra, a group of people designated to bring forth the issues of all Tamaranians. It was a way to prove to everyone that he had the strength, willpower, and intelligence to lead all my people. This test was called the _land'ha,_ a…gauntlet, you may say, and when a prospective heir reaches a certain age, he or she _must_ perform this test, and only then can he, or in this case, myself, prove to all Tamaranians, that I have the honour to bear the royal name of And'r.'

Robin silently digested everything Starfire had said to him. His head was spinning with numerous thoughts. _Why did she never mention this before? _

As if reading his mind Galfore said,' I had hoped that as the Leader, I would be able to sway the Council's decision…but, right now they are calling for Koriand'r. She is a great warrior in the eyes of those who have witnessed the sacrifice she made when she left for the Citadel, but now…time has dimmed that memory. They aren't just calling for any person…the people _want_ Koriand'r.'

Starfire spoke up softly, seeing as Robin had yet to utter any word. 'There is a way out Robin. If I… renounce my planet, and the royal title of And'r, I will not have-'

'You'd do that?' asked Robin suddenly, coming out of his stupor.

'Earth is my home now, and you…the Titans…are my family. You have shown me more kindness than anyone else in the universe. I would not hesitate one moment to make my decision.' Starfire looked into his face beseechingly, waiting anxiously for an answer. This would be a heart-rending sacrifice on her part…but if Robin said any-

'And I would _never_ make you do that. The throne is your birthright Star…and I…I care for you. I know how hard that choice would really be for you. Even the others would never make you do such a thing.'

'So…are you saying…?' Star asked, the hope in her voice unmistakeable.

'Show your whole planet what a terrific leader you can be. Make them realize that you are, and always will be worthy of the name And'r.'

Starfire moved quickly to wrap her arms around Robin in a tight hug. Momentarily forgetting that Galfore was watching, Robin twirled her around before kissing her full on the lips.

Galfore's brow furrowed in confusion. What in _X'Hal's_ name were they doing with their mouths? And was their _tongue_ in each other's mouth?! He shuddered, not understanding how Starfire seemed to enjoy such…intimacy.

Not at all pleased, Galfore cleared his throat rather loudly, causing the two to quickly separate, although Robin kept his arm looped around Starfire's waist.

'So, Kori…what answer must I give the E'yra?'

Starfire confidently gave her reply in one simple word.

TTTTTT

Raven frowned.

The emotions that Robin and Starfire were giving off certainly weren't matching their expressions. They continued to laugh and help out making the last few preparations, but it wasn't hiding the fact that something was bothering them. However, she decided that it was best to let the matter slide… for now.

'Hey Rae, what's it gonna take to turn that frown upside down?' chirped Beastboy, as he suddenly came to envelope her in a big hug.

'Beastboy, let me go,' she replied, feigning annoyance. She'd rather face Trigon all over again than admit she rather enjoyed his hugs, but right now…the others were in the room, and she still wasn't comfortable about being open with her affection in public.

Beastboy humphed, but obeyed. He opened his mouth, ready to repeat his question, but Raven placed a slender finger on his lips. 'It's nothing. Besides, I think I heard Cyborg plotting to throw out some of your tofu dishes, and substitute it with more 'fresh, wholesome, meatalicious goodness' I believe, were his exact words.'

'He WHAT?' roared Beastboy, before bolting out from the common room, ready to confront his friend.

She smirked, before turning around to see that Robin and Starfire were talking in hushed tones. Seeing that it was only the three of them, Robin glanced over at Raven. He sighed out of defeat.

'I suppose you already know that…'

'I never asked anything,' droned Raven.

'But I know you were thinking it. It's not like our emotions didn't give us away.'

'Robin, you don't have to tell me anything. You don't owe me an explanation. If it's really important, I know you'll tell me in your own good time.'

Robin and Starfire both smiled, appreciating Raven's thoughtfulness.

'Thank you friend Raven. Do not do the worrying. We shall both tell all of you everything once the festivities are over,' Starfire said.

Raven didn't reply, but nodded. Her thoughts were interrupted when her communicator beeped. Flipping it open, she saw Kole, Gnaark, and Jericho together.

'Heya Raven,' called out Kole. 'We're at the designated pick-up point. Ready for your portal whenever you are.'

'Got it. Make sure you stand back a little. This should only take a second.' Flipping shut her communicator, she looked up and droned to Robin, 'Well, the other Titans are arriving.'

Robin smiled. 'Show time.'

TTTTTT

Soon enough the tower was bustling with the sounds of young adults. The Titans greeted each other, laughed together, and relaxed in the atmosphere of being surrounded by their peers. Right now, a majority of them were lounging out of the roof.

Towards the side, Bumble Bee, Herald, Jinx, and Kole were enjoying a game of knockout, putting to good use, the extra basketballs lying around, while Gnaark watched, cheering on Kole. Mas and Menos were shooting dirty looks at Robin (how _dare_ he flaunt that alien goddess on his arm like that!). Beastboy was having an animated conversation with Thunder. Cyborg and Raven were in a deep discussion with Red Star and Argent. Kid Flash, Hot Spot, Speedy, and Wildebeast were wolfing down food, competing to see who could finish the hotdogs first…Kid Flash was _blatantly _cheating.

After some time, Robin checked his watch. It was almost time for the last 2 guests. He wondered if they were running late. His doubts were put to rest, however, when he heard the telltale sounds of approaching jets.

Hearing the disturbance next, Cyborg checked the security console on his arm. He frowned. 'Radar's picked up a pretty big jet, due in our direction. I'm not sure what-'

'It's okay,' Robin quickly interrupted. 'I asked two more people over. They're new to the Titans, and I wanted to take this opportunity to initiate them in as honorary Titans.'

'Hmmm. A little warning would have been nice gel-boy.'

Robin ignored Cyborg's last comment, and waited patiently with the other Titans. Soon enough, a sleek, and streamlined sliver jet plane came into view. It majestically hovered directly over the Titans Tower. Everyone on the roof shielded their eyes, not knowing what was going on.

Suddenly, the plane's cargo hold opened, and two figures, one in red, and the other predominantly in black, leaped agilely out. Both forms landed gracefully onto the roof, and straightened up, while the plane jetted off, leaving as mysteriously as it had arrived.

The two women who jumped out the plane now stood in plain view for all the Titans. One of them was a hauntingly beautiful, black haired siren. She flipped her thick hair over her shoulders before allowing her piercing black eyes to search the crowd. The other girl, a gorgeous red-head, stood by her side. Her black and yellow cape fluttered around her body, and even though she wore a mask, nothing hid the black insignia of a bat across her chest.

Robin eased out from the crowd of Titans to greet the women. He warmly hugged both the girls.

'Batgirl…Wondergirl…I'm so glad you could make it.'

'Nice to see you Dickie! How have you been?' asked Batgirl playfully reaching on her toes to ruffle his hair. Robin swatted her hand away, before nudging her in ribs. 'Lay off…you have no idea how long it takes to set up the hair.'

'It's always a pleasure, Robin,' replied Wondergirl graciously. The smile she gave him, Robin knew without a doubt, sent a number of the single male Titans' hearts thundering.

Robin could practically feel the waves of impatience and curiosity emanating from the crowd.

'Come on, let me introduce you to everyone. I'm sure they're all curious to know you both.'

'Oooh my. Aren't the Titans a handsome bunch. Make sure to introduce me to all the single lads first Robin,' Batgirl said cheekily, winking at Red Star, who immediately flushed deeply, but nevertheless smiled.

'Already on the prowl Babs?'

'You know it.'

TTTTTTT

More time passed, as the Titan's continued enjoying each other's company. The sun was almost dipping beyond the horizon, but no one made a move to leave. It was nice to relax, to not worry about anything…to just be…._normal_ for a change.

Now all the Titans remained lounging on the roof. Starfire and Wondergirl hit it off quite well and were having a discussion about weapons training. _Guess that's what happens when you put 2 warrior princesses together_ thought Robin. He took the opportunity to observe his entire team, and a smile crossed his face. To see everyone together, and truly spending quality time not just as a team, but as a _family_, made him realize just how important the Titans were to him.

His observant eyes didn't fail to catch the shift in the mood as slowly the couples were drawn to each other. Jinx and Kid Flash, Jericho and Kole, Argent and Hotspot, BumbleeBee and Herald…he could go on. His attention settled mainly on the fairly newest one. He hadn't failed to notice the little things that made Beastboy and Raven…so…unique.

They didn't make goo goo eyes or kissy face at each other all the time, but rather it was the smaller things. Like how they fought so closely in battle, how they no longer argued so violently, how Raven would absent-mindedly stroke Beastboy's cat form as he dozed on her lap while she read a book, how Beastboy had suddenly developed a taste for herbal tea, how Raven actually spent more time being social with the Titans, and how she _really_ smiled instead of smirk. Anyone could see that their relationship was gradually growing stronger, and Robin for a fact knew that the green changeling was not falling in love with the dark beauty any more. He smirked….that boy was _already_ there. He, of all people, knew what a man in love acted like, and if the way Beastboy gazed at Raven, how his features softened as he interacted with her, or the way he'd touch her lightly on the arm or on the small of her back wasn't a dead giveaway, Robin didn't know what else was.

Which is why, Robin knew, what was going to happen in the next few weeks was going to make things so much harder for them. Sadness tugged slightly at the back on him mind. His attention was momentarily distracted when the night sky over Jump City suddenly lit up brightly. His initial reaction was that it was an attack…but no…it was _fireworks._

Multicolours washed the night sky in a rainbow of light. It was mesmerizing, and slowly all the Titans moved to watch the display. Raven breathed in deeply as she soaked in the emotions of calm emanating from the others. She felt a pair of muscled arms slowly snake around her, holding her in a warm embrace. She tilted her head slightly, wondering whether or not to pull away, but Beastboy shot her that damned lopsided grin, and the feelings of longing she felt from him was too much to ignore. _Just this once_ murmured Affection at the back of her mind,_ wouldn't hurt._

With a sigh she leaned into embrace. She took a second to quickly notice what the others were doing, and wasn't surprised to see that all the couples were being as intimate as they were. With a smirk, she turned her attention back to the fireworks display.

'Gar,' she softly whispered her nickname for him.

'Hmm?' he replied looking at her.

'I….um…..this is…er..'

Damn it…why was she stuttering like an idiot?

'It's okay Rae….I get it,' he smiled knowingly. He leaned down to nuzzle her neck affectionately, and Raven felt that shiver run through her spine again as her body responded to his intimate touch.

_Azar,_ she thought for the umpteenth, _the things he makes me feel._

TTTTTTT

The party had been a success. After the fireworks display, Robin took the time to quickly initiate both Batgirl and Wondergirl onto the team. The Titan's warmly accepted the girls, and celebrated with a few rounds of drinks and cocktails. When Hotspot, Kole, and Beastboy came dangerously close to falling asleep again, and Mas and Menos started drunkenly serenading Starfire in Spanish, Robin himself, had barely been able to officially call it a night. There was a collective, tired groan, by slowly the Titans headed back to their respective Towers.

Now, the next morning he, and a bleary-eyed Beastboy and Cyborg were nursing killer hangovers, and cups of strong coffee. To add insult to injury, both girls greeted them in the common room, perfectly fine, with Starfire flashing that brilliant smile, and Raven making some quip about 'lightweights'. Damn those alien and demon genes that made them immune to excessive amounts of alcohol.

Time to get to business though.

Cyborg, Beastboy, and Raven sat on the couch, as Robin and Starfire faced them. Robin squeezed Starfire's hand, and smiled encouragingly at her, letting her take the floor. With a deep breath, Starfire recounted to her friends everything that she and Galfore had spoken about. Except to ask a question or two, the others remained mostly silent, digesting everything that she said.

'You're sure about this? This _is_ what you want?' asked Raven.

Starfire nodded confidently. 'It is. Tamaran is my home planet. That, I cannot deny.'

'If that's what you want, then we'll all support you the whole way' Cyborg said.

'I thank you all my friends. I am truly touched by your response…which is why it makes what I have to request next so difficult.' Starfire looked directly at the Titans.

'The _land'ha,_ while undertaken primarily by the heir-to-be, is not completed entirely alone, based on the immense dangers that is usually involved both physically and mentally. In order to also show the people of Tamaran, that the heir has the support of others….to show solidarity, a trusted individual of the heir helps them through the entirety of the challenge. This person is known as the _bondho, _or loyal comrade.'

At this point, Starfire turned to Raven.

'So now I ask a great favour from you Raven. You are more than my best friend. I consider you my sister.' Starfire looked beseechingly at Raven. 'Therefore, I would be honoured if you would consider being the _bondho_ for this event.'

Raven's breath hitched.

Starfire was asking a lot. To expect her to take part in a life-threatening challenge…all in the name of friendship, or sisterhood was truly testing the boundaries of their relationship. Raven silently studied the alien princess, as she mulled over the answer. Say no, and ask her to choose another person, or accept the fact that Starfire had never before asked anything much from her, that she had been an unwavering friend through the better part of a decade and accept an alien challenge where she just might end up getting severly injured only if she was lucky.

It was a no brainer.

'You don't have to ask me twice,' Raven droned. 'We'll do this…together.'

Starfire let out an excited squeal, and launched herself at the unsuspecting empath, engulfing her in a bone-crushing embrace. It was only when Raven started turning blue from the lack of oxygen, when Starfire finally let her go.

'Raven, I am so happy! You are truly a best friend. I feared you would refuse, but now….'Starfire squealed again.

Raven flinched from the high pitched noise.

'So, what next?' asked Raven, adjusting her hood.

'Now? We celebrate first, in the traditional pre-_land'ha_ banquet. Then, we must train, for this will be more difficult than our most dangerous mission. It requires us to be of sound mind and body. I shall prepare all the information you need to know. Over the course of the next two months we prepare ourselves, and then travel to Tamaran.'

'This is going to be interesting,' mumbled Raven. For a second, Raven couldn't help but wonder what she had gotten herself into.

TTTTTTT

When Beastboy had heard everything that Starfire had to say, especially about how dangerous this event could turn out to be, a part of him desparately hoped that Raven would refuse. But, then again, she wouldn't be Raven if she wasn't there for a friend asking for help.

He wasn't surprised that Raven accepted. What really surprised him was the force of the anguished howl the Beast let off in the back of him mind. How was he going to protect her from _this_? Every fibre in his being demanded he grab Raven by her shoulders and shake her until she changed her mind. But he knew better than that.

Instead, in order to calm the Beast, he decided it was best to slip away to the privacy of his room. As he walked out the common room doors unnoticed, he argued every step of the way with the Beast. After all, Raven was a grown woman, and she was entitled to make her own decisions. But try telling that to a stubborn, emotionally charged Beast, who could barely speak, save a few words.

Once in his room he paced repeatedly around his room, his volatile emotions threatening to spill out. His pacing almost wore a hole in the carpet until he was interrupted by the soft knock on his door.

'Gar?'

Raven's flat tone was gentle…concerned.

'Uh…I'm..uh…changing. Give me a sec…' he called frantically. He needed to calm himself, and not let her see how disturbed he was.

He opened the door for her, allowing her to slip inside. 'I noticed you slip off…thought maybe we could…talk about this.'

'It's nothing. Just had…'he changed the subject quickly. 'Wow eh? I sure didn't see that coming. Tamaran sure has a lot of traditions.'

Raven silently let him babble on. As soon as he stopped to catch his breath, she interrupted him.

'So do you think I should do this?' she asked, looking directly into his eyes.

Beastboy hesitated….but only momentarily.

'Yeah…'he said softly, 'Yeah…absolutely.' He finished the sentence firmly.

'Gar…'she warned.

He would have lied again, but knew it would be futile.

'…..no….' he whispered, ashamed.

She waited for him to give an explanation.

'It's too dangerous Rae! You could seriously injured…or worse! I'm your boyfriend. My job is to protect you from any harm whatsoever. How am I supposed to do that when you're half way across the galaxy, taking part in some life-threatining event on some alien planet?!'

Raven could feel the anger and frustration slowly bubbling inside of him. She knew she had to calm him down before he said or did something he'd later regret.

In the middle of his tirade, Beastboy had turned around in frustration, as he could no longer articulate his emotions. He gripped his hair in an effort to calm himself, but knew he wasn't doing a good job of that.

Suddenly he felt Raven wrap her arms around him, pressing her chest into his back. Immediately he felt the tension start to slip. He sighed. She knew him so well….knew exactly what he needed to be level headed again.

As he turned around to face her, she grabbed his head, and pulled him down. She kissed him passionately, and felt him respond. His arms came to tighten themselves around her, and she felt his tongue graze her lips, seeking entrance into her mouth. She gladly accepted, and for a few moments allowed them both to escape reality for a while.

When she finally pulled away, and looked in his half-lidded eyes, she knew much of the previous frustration in him had died away. 'Gar' she said, her normally flat tone laced with affection she only showed in the privacy of only his company, 'she's like….she _is_ my sister. She's never asked for anything from me, and after what happened during my 16th birthday, I think I owe her this much. She willingly risked her life for me then. What kind of person would I be if I did anything less for her now?'

Beastboy sighed, knowing everything she had just said was true. Starfire was his sister too. For him to make Raven do any less…well…that would cruel. He couldn't help but hear the echo of his father's words, spoken to him so long ago. _Family are those who stick by you when you need 'em the most. Always remember that kiddo._

'You're right Rae. It's just that…we've come a long way together. I don't want anything to….I could never live with myself if you got hurt, and I just stood by, not doing anything.'

'It cann't be that bad Gar'

'You don't know that Rae. The future is unpredictable. I'm not going to stop you from doing this. Starfire needs you. But…promise me…_promise_ that you will be careful. Okay?'

Raven kissed him softly.

'I promise…'she murmured against his lips.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note:**__ here's another chapter :D I've finished my exams so I have oooodles of time now...thanks for being so patient ya'll..._

_In this chapter, the Team gets ready to leave for Tamaran, but what unpleasant surprises await them there? Read on to find out_

_**DISCLAMER**__: I just got a billion dollar inheritance so I bought all the right for Teen Titans._

_*smacked by DC and Warner Bros. lawyers*_

_*after muttering much profanities* I don't own 'em _

TTTTTTTT

With an exhausted sigh Raven fell on the bed. She was too tired to bother fixing the towel that now draped over her partially wet body. She had barely made it through the day, and her protesting body had finally revolted. A part of Raven couldn't help but wonder if things would have been easier if she had refused Starfire's request. But she banished the thought immediately. Nothing would make her change that.

However, that certainly didn't stop her from moaning under her breath or when Starfire was out of earshot.

To say that Starfire had been an unshakeable drill master for the past 2 months would be an understatement of massive proportions. The Tamaranean had demanded that they be prepared both physically and mentally for this gruelling challenge. Her training regime made Robin's hardest practice mission look like a walk in the park.

In order to be best prepared for this event, Starfire made sure that they were both conditioned to the peak of their physical abilities. In the morning, after finishing her usual morning meditation and yoga routines, she and Starfire would have a healthy breakfast, courtesy on any of the Titan boys that were present that early in the morning, which usually meant Robin, and in a few cases Cyborg. After that both girls worked on increasing their stamina with Beastboy, since his endurance levels exceeded even that of Starfire's.

That was followed by a lunch break before she continued with her weapons practice. Given Starfire's extensive knowledge of weapons training, she was usually the one Raven practiced with. Unfortunately since Raven lacked Starfire's alien strength, she was unable to use the customary spear. Instead, after obtaining permission from the E'yara, she was allowed to use two modified swords. They were about a foot and a half long each, and were made of an alloy that contained some of the same foreign metal as the spear. Sometimes she practiced with Robin in order to further improve her skills. Initially he had been gentle with her, but as the days went by, he became more demanding, forcing her to use not just her skills but her cunning in order to parry with him. Each block, each thrust, and each jab was harder than the next, and she even ended up with a few cuts. That hadn't gone down too well with Beastboy. But Raven, to her quiet satisfaction, observed that as her skills gradually became on par with his, even Robin failed to come out completely unscathed.

After all of that, and warming down, Raven was finally able to call an end to the day. This was a good thing as her body would usually be close to its breaking point. The only thing that gave her strength to drag herself out of bed the next day was right now knocking gently on her door.

Raven lifted her tired head from the plush pillow. A quick glance with her powers confirmed it was Beastboy. She got off her bed and went to her wardrobe, picking out a silk robe. She removed the towel and was tying the robe's knot before waving her hand. A black tendril of energy jumped from her fingertips, opening the door to allow the changeling to enter.

'Hey,' he said with his trademark grin. 'I got some more of that lotion Starfire said you needed for your muscle aches. She mentioned you ran out, and I offered to bring it over.'

The Beast was instantly awake...and Beastboy could smell why.

Raven had taken a shower, and smelt of blueberry and lilacs. But that failed to hide that fact that underneath that silk robe, she was deliciously naked.

Oh God. He needed to get out of there fast.

He managed to keep the hand extending the bottle of lotion from shaking. Raven murmured a thank you. Her fingers brushed lightly against his. Luckily, a question he had been burning to ask, popped into his mind, taking his attention off her current position momentarily.

'Starfire mentioned that you needed heat to make the lotion effective. So how do-' his words were cut short when Raven answered by raising her hand. It has completely enveloped in a black flame. There was no doubt about the magical nature of this flame. It made no crackling sound, and certainly didn't emit any scent whatsoever.

'Cool,' he said. 'I had no idea that you could do that.'

He took a step forward. The Beast's urging was getting stronger.

Raven qwerked an exquisite eyebrow.

'There's much you don't know about me Gar.'

'Hmm,' he murmured. He had taken another bold step towards her. To his surprise even she had taken a tentative step forward as well. 'Care to share?' he breathed.

Somehow, Beastboy found that they were very close. He leaned forward slightly.

Their mouths were inches apart. Her luscious lips were parting gently.

The very scent of her was starting to make him lose any thoughts of leaving. After all what did it matter? The only thing that maintained her dignity was a pathetic garment. Nothing a pair of sharp claws wouldn't make short work of.

Both of her hands now moved to his chest. Beastboy was confident he knew where this was going.

'Soon enough.'

Before Beastboy had a chance to ask what the hell she was talking about, since he had certainly forgotten, he felt her shove him back hard. He tumbled through a portal she had sneakily opened and fell down unceremoniously onto his back.

A sharp cracking sound told him the portal had now disappeared.

_Damn it. So close_.

TTTTT

The last week of training arrived, and Starfire announced a change in their training schedule.

'Raven,' Starfire called out to emapth.

Raven looked up from her cup of tea. Starfire continued, 'I think that for the next 7 days we shall spar together. I haven't been keeping track of your weapons progress. This is the last opportunity that I will have to ensure that we are both prepared.'

'Okay,' Raven said flatly. She expertly hid her unease. As confident as Raven was in her fighting abilities, this was definitely Starfire's area of expertise. She wondered if she was good enough to fend off the princess' attacks.

'Don't worry Rae, you're gonna do just fine,' Beastboy whispered silently.

They were going to find out soon enough.

TTTTT

Starfire took a deep breath. She gripped the spear firmly, and turned around to face her best friend. She twirled the long weapon expertly, and took a defensive stance.

Raven watched her carefully. As soon as Starfire shifted into her stance Raven answered with an equally impressive technique.

_Sharp. Quick. But lacking slightly in strength_, Starfire noted mentally. They would have to work on that.

To the side, the boys observed the girls, silently. That in itself, Raven smirked inwardly, was a miracle. However, she snapped to attention when Starfire rushed her unexpectedly.

The clash of metals resounded loudly through the training room.

Raven had instinctively reacted to Starfire's attack to the head, and blocked it with her swords. But Starfire bore down with her strength causing the empath to sink to her knees.

They had just started and Raven could already feel a bead of sweat break on her forehead.

_Suck it up girl!_ roared Brave. _You have got to put up some sort of a fight!_

Gritting her teeth, Raven pivoted sharply on her knee, and kicked out with the other leg, aiming for Starfire's shin. The alien warrior jumped out of the way quickly, but not before Raven leaped back onto her feet.

Once again they circled each other.

This time Raven attacked, slashing with both swords. Starfire parried easily, and smirked. Raven was using the technique Robin used to gouge out an enemy's strength.

She wasn't going to make this easy for Raven in any way.

She parried the last of Raven's attack and responded instantly with a sharp jab to Raven's abdomen. The attack should have impaled Raven, but she twisted her body out of the way. Nevertheless, a resounding rip could be heard. A quick somersault, and Raven was a safe distance away. She took that time to quickly inspect the damage to her uniform. To her annoyance she saw the Starfire had successfully caused a tear across the abdomen, and the pale skin of her stomach could be seen. She shot her friend a look of annoyance, but Starfire paid no heed.

_Fine...if that's how it's going to be_, Raven thought resolutely. _Two can play this game. _

Neither girl was fighting for second place. They could have been sparring for minutes, or maybe hours, both girls had lost track of time. They were concentrating completely in this fight, and minutes into the battle, both of them were sporting a few minor wounds.

There were slashes, jabs, thrusts, blows, and blocks. But in between this all, the one thing that was faring the worst were their costumes. After Raven's initial uniform damage, nothing seeming to be spared. Sleeves were ripped, Starfire's skirt was slit, and Raven had long ago abandoned her shredded cloak. The exposed sections of their toned bodies now shone with sweat.

At one point, they both moved to a distance, circling each other. Starfire observed that now Raven's arms were quivering from the effort of bearing the impact of blows, and manipulating her weapons. This had to end, NOW.

Raven must have been thinking along the same lines because, she burst out with one last attack. Had Starfire not know her friend so well, she would have been caught off guard. Only the sheer mental training could explain where Raven was fuelled with this sudden burst of energy.

One shattering clash, and they were once again locked in a battle of strength. Both girls bore down unyieldingly onto each other.

Their faces were inches apart, their panting breath filling the other's ears.

The silent battle of will was broken only by Beastboy.

'Do that again,' he breathed , his eyes wide.

A resounding _thwap_ from Cyborg made him realize he had made that statement out aloud, and not in his mind.

'Ladies,' Robin's voice had a squeak. 'I think that um...you should probably...you know...change, and stuff,' he finished lamely.

This was followed by another uncomfortable silence. But girls were looking quizzically at the boys. Why were they acting so strangely?

Suddenly Cyborg got up, and grabbing both the other boys by the scruff, said too loudly,' Oh well, will ya'll look at the time? You ladies are probably gonna be famished so we'll head back up and cook up a storm for you both.' Turning to his male friends he barked, 'March.' As an added incentive, he shoved them towards the door.

'Hey!' protested Robin.

'Be gentle! Wahwedo?' cried out Beastboy.

Their voices faded as the two boys grumbled under their breath.

'What was that about?' Raven asked, looking to Starfire. A second later, she blushed furiously, realizing why. Looking at herself, her face flamed even more, if it were possible.

Without knowing, the girls have quite literally ripped their uniform to shreds, exposing their shapely bodies in several places. Not much kept the remaining scraps in place, but in was clear that these particular uniforms would have to be retired permanently. Or thrown in the rubbish.

Starfire threw back her thick mane of hair, and a laugh bubbled out. 'I believe we have done the 'working out' very thoroughly today, do you not agree friend Raven?'

Raven simply smiled tiredly, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

'Beastboy owes me 2 days of house chores now.' Seeing Raven's expression of confusion, she continued, 'he did the betting, to see how long it would take before I was able to rip off your-' her voice trailed to nothing when she saw the tell-tale red hue start creeping into Raven's eyes.

She sweatdropped.

'I am only joking, Raven' she said quickly, holding up her arms. Raven looked at her for a second, before nodding, and moved to pick up her cloak.

'-mostly,' Starfire finished under her breath.

TTTTT

With a mighty groan Cyborg tried lifting the suitcases onto the T-ship. Beside him, Starfire effortlessly carried a larger load, and gracefully deposited it into the cargo hold. Flashing Cyborg a beautiful smile, she quickly moved out of the way, allowing him to continue.

Cyborg muttered under his breath. How he ended up being the one to carry out the loading escaped him. It was unfortunate he never remembered what he ended up agreeing to when he had a few tequila shots in him.

'So tell me again why I can't, for once, fly the T-ship? Why does has always gotta be Cy or Robin huh? asked Beastboy. He carried over his and Raven's suitcase, and placed in before Cyborg.

Robin strode in at that exact moment and answered his question. 'Because you haven't completed enough flying hours, because you never remember what the dials and switches are for, and because I said so. Take your pick.'

Beastboy did the most mature thing that came to mind.

He stuck out his tongue.

'Boys,' Raven said entering the launch pad, 'play nice or none of you will be flying the T-ship.'

'He started it,' Beastboy replied without hesitation.

'Did not!' cried out Robin indignantly.

'Did-' Beastboy's words were cut off as a dark band of black energy slapped across his mouth. Raven shot him an ice cold look. 'I'm not going to repeat myself.'

'Friends, I believe we are ready to go. Shall we enter the ship and begin the launch sequence?' Starfire called out. The Titans quickly moved to alight onto their aircraft. Cyborg turned to a computer to begin an automatic self-check sequence. Turning back to the ship, he jogged over to his side, and with an agile leap climbed onto the T-ship. On the screens in each section of the aircraft, the computer system made an automatic diagnostic, going through system checks, auxiliary thrusters, and fuel capacity.

As they all strapped themselves in, a synthetic voice began the countdown. _LAUNCHING IN 10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2..._a thunderous roar filled the ears of the occupants, and each were thrust back into their seats. The shuttle shuddered to life, and slowly liftoff began. As the billowing white smoke filled the launch pad, above them, the roof opened wide, revealing a clear blue sky.

Within seconds, the T-Ship picked up momentum, and they hurtled out into the open expanse of the sky. Moments later, they reached the upper atmosphere, and the 1st set of auxiliary thrusters broke away, allowing the secondary ones to fire up. In the meantime, the Titans braced themselves, waiting for their aircraft to break away from the Earth's gravitational force. The third and final set of thrusters weren't going to fire until they were out of their solar system.

'Better settle in guys,' Cyborg's voice echoed through the communication system. 'This is going to be a long journey.'

'Good thing I uploaded an entertainment component onto the T-Ship,' Beastboy flashed a thumbs-up to an astounded Cyborg.

'What the hell? When did you do that?'

Beastboy ignored the question. 'Hope you're all ready for the ultimate Wicked Scary marathon! I brought one through five.'

The remaining four Titans released a collective groan.

TTTTT

Several long and excruciating hours passed.

Mercifully, Beastboy had fallen asleep halfway through the third film, and Cyborg was able to hack into the system from his own pod, and terminated the movies. The rest of the journey was made in relative peace. Apart from flying through the occasional asteroid belt, their space flight was mainly uneventful.

It was only when Raven could sense excitement building up in Starfire that she realized that they had entered the Vegan system. Tamaran could not be too far off.

An hour or two later, Robin saw their intercom blinking. Knowing this indicated an incoming call, he flipped a switch. A harsh male voice blared into each pods of the T-Ship. Beastboy visibly winced.

'_Lahye! Ostem boor afor t'laka_!' the voice commanded. Robin looked at Starfire, and raised a quizzical eyebrow.

Starfire simply nodded her head to show she would be answering this message. '_M'fore Lahye. Retera b'tyra grodaco Koriand'r.'_

The voice instantly lost all the gruffness. Now it was softer. More respectful. '_Grodaco Koriand'r. Mya u'steem. Tamaran huley zorfac.'_

Starfire gave a last command. She spoke over the telecom and informed the other that they had now officially entered the planetary perimeters of Tamaran. 'Welcome back for a second time, my friends,' she said, a happy smile gracing her features.

TTTTT

The first one to greet them was unsurprisingly, Galfore. He was accompanied by his wife Lymia. Behind him, Raven noticed a group of people.

_No doubt, the council members of E'yra_, she thought.

After the T-Ship landed, Starfire didn't waste any time. She leapt out the aircraft before Robin had completely shut it down. She launched herself towards Galfore with all the grace a young child would have when greeting her father. The rest of the Titans climbed out, and waited for Starfire .

'Welcome back to Tamaran, my _bumgorf_. And to all of you as well,' Galfore's voice boomed loudly. 'Come inside, I have the best feast prepared for your arrival. Do not worry about your belongings, my guards will tend to them.' He turned to a group of soldiers, and barked out an order.

Looking at Raven, Galfore took a second to stop.

'And you, child, will be the _bondho_, am I correct?'

'Yes,' Raven said moving her hood off her head. Galfore's face broke into a smile.

'Excellent. The meeting with the E'yra is tomorrow. You must be there with Koriand'r. Am I correct to assume that she has already made you familiar with all the rules?'

Raven nodded. 'I understand that we shall also be negotiating the details of my participation. Starfire mentioned that she asked you to prepare the E'yra for a few minor changes on my behalf?'

'Indeed. But, that is all for tomorrow. Now, we feast, drink, and celebrate!' a big laugh echoed out from Galfore. 'I am very pleased to see my little _bumgorf _again,' he said, scooping Starfire into what the other Titans knew was a bone-crushing hug.

'Oh thank God we aren't getting one of those,' Cyborg said with relief.

TTTTT

The feast and celebration itself was another long process.

Many people had come to the royal palace, as word that the Queen had returned, spread. The E'yra members present gave speeches, speaking about their happiness that Starfire had returned. They were pleased that she hadn't forgotten the traditions or her linage while she stayed on Earth. They bid her good luck, and toasted to her success at the land'ha.

Beastboy poked at the food suspiciously. 'Dude is this stuff even vegetarian?'

'Grass-stain, you asked me that the last time we were here. I don't know,' Cyborg replied. He picked up a rather larger portion and without hesitation stuffed it into his mouth. 'E astes 'oo to ee,' he said with his mouth full.

Beastboy's turned a paler shade of green. Turning back to his plate, he poked his fork at a purple, tentacle piece. A high-pitched girlish scream escaped his mouth when it moved away from his prodding, leaving behind a wet slime.

'_Nau nau_ friend Beastboy, that's not how you eat an _aloefka_,' Starfire said patiently. Picking up her knife she stabbed the offending food, and with a small starbolt, burned it to crisp.

'There ,' she said handing the knife with the smoking _aloefka_. 'Now it's ready to be consumed.'

A trickle of sweat made its way down Beastboy's forehead. Robin failed miserably to hide the mirth of laughter that threatened to bubble out. Seeing the expression on Beastboy's face, Raven leaned towards him.

'Don't worry,' she whispered softly in his ear. 'I remember the cuisine from the last time. I made sure to pack lots of vegetarian food for you along with some essentials for myself.'

Beastboy looked at her with an incredulous expression. 'You actually did that...for me?'

A soft blush rose in Raven's pale cheeks. 'Yeah. I thought, since Robin and I were both making a secret stash, I thought I'd pack some stuff for you as well. It's what any...girlfriend...would do.' The last part was whispered so softly, only Beastboy's exceptional hearing picked it up.

His heart swelled. For her to remember to pick up something essential just for him, especially when she was in the middle of training for the land'ha, made him speechless with gratitude. It was one of the things he really loved about her. She knew just what he needed, and when he needed it.

Without hesitating, and knowing full well everyone was concentrating on energetically attacking the food, he leaned over towards Raven and pulled her in for a blistering kiss on her lips.

Nope one noticed two large food piles explode involuntarily.

'Thanks Rae,' he murmured softly as his thumb gently stroked her cheek.

TTTTT

After the feast, Galfore lead them through the cavernous hallways. After a while he stopped in front a large set of doors.

'Koriand'r, I had the Imperial staff prepare this suite for you and your guests. I trust everything will be in order. My wife and I shall be close by. I bid you all a good night, and shall see you tomorrow,' he said.

As he left, the others walked into the room. A stunned silence filled the suite.

'Starfire...what...how?' Cyborg stuttered.

The only person who wasn't shocked besides her was Robin. He grinned at the expression on the faces of the Titans and said, 'Star knew that you all had a difficulty adjusting the last time. So she sent some images to Galfore. He made arrangements so that the suite, and our bedrooms, including all the furniture mimicked that of Earth. They've even installed bathrooms. I lent a hand for the schematics.' Extending his arms around the plush suite he said, 'Not bad, don't you think?'

Raven strode over towards Starfire, and did something she rarely ever did. She wrapped her arms around the alien princess in a warm hug.

'Thank you,' she said sincerely.

A stunned Starfire recovered immediately to hug back her friend. 'It was nothing.'

'You're the best hun, you know that?' Cyborg said warmly. Beastboy turned into a kitten and leaped into Starfire's arms. He contentedly rubbed his cheeks against hers and purred loudly to indicate his appreciation.

'Right Titans, it's been a long few days, and tomorrow the girls need to be up early. I think we should retire for the night,' Robin said with a yawn.

Immediately, all the hours of travel seemed to suddenly pile back into their bodies. Shoulders sagged, eyes drooped, and tiredness seeped in. Each bid the others good night and headed for their rooms. Robin and Starfire moved to one accommodation, while the rest made their way to separate rooms.

Raven waited until all the others had left before she quickly reached out with her powers to the retreating back of Beastboy. He looked at her, clearly surprised.

'Aren't you hungry?' she asked.

_For what?_ he thought stupidly. As if on cue, a protesting rumble issued from his stomach, and realization struck him.

'You don't mind? It's kind of late, and you have-'

'I wouldn't have mentioned it if I didn't mean it Gar,' she said. A sassy smirk briefly played across her lips. 'Just don't get any ideas, I'm not asking you to spend the night or something.' She moved towards her door. Beastboy followed her.

He feigned a dramatic sigh. 'Just when I thought thinks were starting to..._heat up_,' he said, the cheekiness of his tone causing Raven to blush.

'Continue that funny boy, and I'll just teleport your ass back to your own room.' To emphasize her point, Raven turned and leaned at her doorway, blocking his path. One curvy hip remained cocked. Beastboy had an irresistible urge to run his hand over her, but he kept his hands to himself...for now.

'Oh Rae,' he said, making his chin comically quiver, 'why must you be so cruel to me?' He leaned forwards, trying to see if he could coax a kiss from her. Two slender fingers on his chest halted his motion.

'10 minutes Gar. That's all.'

Emerald eyes twinkled mischievously at amethyst ones.

'Rae, babe, you know I'm gonna be needing longer than that.'

Raven's eyes gave her signature roll. The fingers that were on Beastboy's chest changed, and taking a fistful of his uniform in her hand, she repeated, '9 minutes, 53 seconds.'

Then she yanked him into the room.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note**_: u know, i realized that I left a very important piece of information that I wanted to add. I'm gonna attempt to incorporate that in now...although im not sure how well that is gonna end up. I would like to mention that I am changing the name of the E'yara to K'uya. Kryalla Orchid pointed out how similar it was to her work, so out of respect to a fellow writer I have changed that. At the moment I'm a little lazy but I'll get around to changing that from the previous chapters. _

_In this chapter, the ladies get ready for the land'ha._

_**DISCLAMIER**__: nope...still don't own TT_

Robin felt his consciousness slowly arise from slumber. He opened his eyes slightly, trying to recall his bearings. As his mind emerged from the fog of sleep, he heard the gentle sound of the shower not too far away. A searching arm across the bed confirmed that Starfire was indeed awake before him. That was rare. _But after last night_, he thought, as a roguish grin plastered itself across his face, _I'm not surprised._

Suddenly, his eyes opened completely. Today was the day. Today marked the moment in Tamaran history when Starfire would no longer be questioned as the ultimate authority, the Grand Ruler and Queen of Tamaran. It also marked the day that he and Starfire would tell Galfore about a certain event that had occurred a month ago on Earth.

He knew deep in his heart, that this was the ultimate step in their relationship. He couldn't dream of it being any other way. He needed to, _wanted to_ do this. Nothing was going to stop him, not even Bruce. He closed his eyes, a frown creasing his forehead. That particular conversation hadn't gone down well with his father. But it was something that had to be done, face to face.

'_Excuse me?' Bruce said, his eyes staring unblinkingly at his eldest ward. _

_They were having dinner at Wayne Manor. Dick had purposefully taken out a few days from the Titans. The only one who really knew the reason for his temporary departure was Raven. She claimed she knew his intentions since his emotions were not in check. _

_The silver fork that Bruce was using hovered inches from his mouth. Tim Drake, Bruce's newest ward pretended to concentrate on his food. The tension in the air was unbearable. Alfred, bless him, smoothly cut in, refilling everyone's glasses. As he approached Dick he said in that soothingly calm manner of his. _

'_Perhaps Master Grayson would like to continue this conversation after dinner? I have prepared your favourite dessert, chocolate soufflé. I would be most upset it you weren't able to enjoy it.' He looked meaningfully at Bruce. _

'_My office, 30 minutes,' Bruce said tightly. Although the tension had dissipated for now, Dick knew the real storm was only beginning to brew. 'Splendid,' Alfred said immediately. 'Coffee for you, Master Bruce and Master Grayson?' Both men nodded silently. Tim looked hopefully at Alfred. 'And some hot chocolate, I presume, for you Master Drake?' A grin and an enthusiastic nod followed. _

_After exactly 30 minutes, Dick walked into his father's office. The room, as the rest of the manor, was tastefully decorated. A cheerful fire crackled, spreading light and warmth across the room, and illuminating a large bookcase lining the wall. The sound of a throat clearing indicated that Bruce was already in the room. He sat behind a magnificent oak desk, two cups of hot coffee steaming in front of him. A portrait of Thomas and Martha Wayne hung behind him prominently. Bruce passed a cup to Dick and gestured that they were going to sit on the armchairs beside the fireplace._

_No one had spoken a word yet. Dick took a sip of his coffee. He then placed it down on the table and faced his father. Bruce was nursing his own cup of coffee, all the while stroking the head of Ace, his pet German Shepherd. Dick decided to break the silence. _

'_Bruce, I meant what I said. I'm going to ask Kori to marry me.' _

_The hand stroking Ace's head stilled only momentarily. Dick continued, not giving Bruce a chance to speak. 'I've already made the arrangements. I'm going to ask her in a week's time. I convinced her to take a few days off from her land'ha training. She doesn't suspect a thing.' _

_Bruce put down his coffee. 'Richard. This isn't the right time. You're both_ _still too young. I don't think you've thought this through. Have you even decided about how to deal with this as your alter egos?' _

_Dick bristled. He had only heard two words in particular. '__**Too young**__?' _

_So much for keeping his temper in check. _

'_Is that the best you can come up with? Because __**that**__ didn't stop you from training me until my muscles burned like a bitch! That didn't stop you from having me fight men twice my age! And what about all the ti-' _

'_That was different, Richard,' replied Bruce icily. 'That was something you did willingly. I didn't force you.' _

'_What makes this any different, huh? I __**love**__ her, I want to marry her. No one's forcing me to do this. I didn't come here to ask your permission Bruce. I'm only informing you about the inevitable.' _

'_You're still my son. I have a responsibility towards you. I think I have the right to voice my opinions, and tell you when you're making a rash decision. Do you even know if she's going to come back after this land'ha? Or has that thought never crossed your mind?' _

_Dick shook his head in frustration. 'I'm not a child anymore Bruce. I can make my own decisions. And God knows this isn't a bad one. Just because I'm happy, and found a woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, suddenly, that goes against everything you stand for.' _

_Ace whimpered slightly, as he sensed the anger in both men. _

'_I'm not you Bruce. Being your ward doesn't automatically make me your replica. I don't have to deal with a playboy image, unlike you. I'm going through with this. Next week. That's a promise.' Dick rose up from the chair. As far as he was concerned, this conversation was over. _

'_I can cut you off, you know that right?' Bruce said softly. _

_Dick stilled at the door. He turned back to reply just as quietly. 'I'll risk that,' he said before turning to stride away. _

_He left Wayne Manor that very night, bidding good-bye only to Alfred and Tim. _

A knock on the bedroom door brought him back to the present. 'Richard,' Kori called from the bathroom. 'I am still not properly dressed. Do you mind answering the door?' Robin grunted as he rolled out of bed. He quickly picked up his boxers, discarded from the night before, and pulled them on before answering the door.

'Heya Robin,' Cyborg greeted the Titan's Leader cheerfully. 'One of the Imperial staff members dropped this off. Said Starfire needed to wear this before the land'ha.' He extended the garment. 'I'll just drop of Raven's one as well. See ya'll at breakfast.'

Robin shut the door just as Starfire came out, wrapped in a towel. Robin relayed Cyborg's message. Starfire nodded and moved to take the garments. Robin watched her unwrap the towel and start to clothe herself. If she was even the slightest bit nervous about the land'ha, she sure as hell didn't show it. Her every move oozed confidence, calmness, and grace.

Suddenly, something Bruce had said came rushing back to him.

_Do you even know if she's going to come back? _

Every fibre in his body screamed from him to ask her.

Robin bit down on his tongue. Now, he knew, was not the time to worry her with such a question. She needed to concentrate on the land'ha. There would be time afterwards to ask.

'Richard.'

Robin looked into her beautiful green eyes. He watched her slip off the diamond engagement ring from her slender finger. He opened one of the compartments on his belt, and gently lifted out a golden chain.

They both knew that even if diamond was the hardest mineral on Earth, Tamaran's alien environment might greatly damage the ring, especially when she was competing in the _land'ha_. So, they had come up with an idea.

Robin looped the chain around his fiancé's ring, and wore the chain across his neck. Starfire gently fingered the ring. She chewed her lip in that adorable fashion, and knew he would keep it safe.

'I will come back for this, so do not lose it,' she teased.

Then, she kissed him senseless.

TTTT

Beastboy paced for the umpteenth outside of Raven's door. He had been in the common room of their accommodation, and had seen Cyborg receive the garments. He couldn't wait to see her in the Tamranean combat outfit. If it was going to be anything like Starfire's, then he knew he would have the mother of all nosebleeds.

It was only when he was talking to Cyborg that he heard her door swish open. One look at her, and he saw it was almost identical to what Starfire wore as well.

'Rein it in, grass-stain,' Cyborg laughed, while simultaneously moving to grab the changeling around the shoulders. Beastboy swayed dangerously, and would have fallen flat on his face had his friend not moved to steady him.

She wore a purple leotard much like her own costume, except it had no sleeves. This leotard was also split, in the front, all the way in the middle down to the ornate belt across her hips. A buckle-like golden ornament held the material covering her bosom in place. She also wore fitted purple boots, while her twin blades were strapped securely across her back. These were somewhat different than the ones she practiced with. They were beautifully crafted, and were encrusted with the And'r family crest, and gems native to Tamaran. She wore two jewelled bracelets on her arms, but unlike Starfire, she wasn't wearing a headband.

She blushed upon seeing Beastboy's reaction. Her arms automatically moved to bring up her hood, but she realized that she wasn't wearing a cape. She hadn't been too keen on wearing such little clothes, but Starfire explained that Tamaraneans drew their powers and energy from the sun (2 in the case of Tamaran), and the scarcity of garments allowed them to recharge themselves quickly. The land'ha would be a demanding ordeal, to say the least, and they would both need all the energy they could get.

'Take a picture,' she mumbled under her breath, 'it lasts longer.' She raised an eyebrow while Beastboy's eyes still remained in swirls. Damn it all, she was actually a little proud she got that reaction out of him. She moved to leave the common room, but not before a little scuffle broke out.

'You heard her! Quick! Take out your camera! I know you got one in you somewhere!' Beastboy shifted into a monkey. Chattering excitedly, he jumped on Cyborg, all the while pushing different buttons, in an effort to make the elusive camera pop out before Raven left the room.

'BB!' Cyborg roared, 'stop clambering all over me! Get your own camera!' His voice suddenly went up several octaves. 'Oh, you did _not _just touch me there!'

TTTTT

Galfore's voice boomed across the great hall of the palace where Council members and Tamaraneans from near and far gathered together, to mark the beginning of Starfire's _land'ha_.

'For our friends from across the galaxy, I shall speak in their native tongue.' Galfore puffed out his chest and continued. 'Today is a special day not just from Tamaran, but for me as well.' He gestured to Starfire, who along with Raven, was right now kneeling before him, heads bowed in respect.

'My bumgorf has returned after many long years away. Today she had proven herself a true Tamaranean, by not forgetting her roots. She has suffered for the sake of our beloved planet, endured much hardship, and still returns when commanded to fulfil her royal duties.' He looked to the Council members of the K'uya, as his voice growled menacingly, 'Let those who doubted her loyalty and wagged their tongues in vicious gossip forever be silenced. I pray to X'Hal, that when she and her friend, Raven of Azarath the bondho for this event return, _nobody_ will ever question her right as the Grand Ruler of Tamaran. May she begin as a princess, but emerge from this land'ha, the _QUEEN!_'

A deafening roar of approval echoed throughout the hall. No one was louder than the three Titan males that were near the front of the hall. Galfore raised his hand, and the crowd was instantly quiet.

'Rise now, Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran, and Bondho Raven of Azarath.'

Both girls rose fluidly to their feet. Starfire gripped her spear firmly. She stepped forward, and Galfore place one massive hand on her shoulder. Beside her _knorf'ka_ she looked so small, so frail. But inside, Raven knew, burned the flame of Tamaranean strength. A large smile now creased his face. He turned her around so that they now faced the crowd. Raven moved discreetly to the side, knowing what was to be announced.

'Before the land'ha, it is also with great joy, and pride, that I may announce some unexpected news. Koriand'r has informed me earlier this day, that she is betrothed,' he gestured now towards one specific Titan, 'to Robin of Earth.'

A stunned silence filled the hall. Seconds later, another roar of happiness, louder than the first, swelled from the ranks of the crowd. Cyborg breathed a sigh of relief, 'Phew, that went well. I was worried Galfore was gonna break the boy in two when he found out.'

'Maybe not all that well,' Beastboy murmured to him softly. He pointed discreetly to the K'uya Council members. Most of them actually looked pleased. But a few members were right now huddled together, whispering urgently between themselves.

'Don't worry BB,' Cyborg said. 'I'm sure they'll deal with it when the time comes.'

For some reason, Beastboy couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about it.

TTTT

They all came out onto the royal palace grounds, and Raven mentally reviewed over what their task was to be. According to tradition, the land'ha was divided into two stages. The first stage sounded easy enough. The crown of the Grand Ruler was made with a unique metal found only in one place on the entire planet. Up until Starfire's great-grandfather, the crown was usually passed down from generation to generation. But now, in order to symbolize strength, and stability, each heir had to journey to the _Yavnor_, a volcano whose name translated literally to Flames of the Core. They needed to procure the metal with their own hands, and bring it back to the palace. From there, the metal would be forged and fashioned into a magnificent crown, worthy of the heir's sacrifice.

_Yavnor's_ power was reputed to be far more dangerous than any volcano on Earth, but for many decades now, it had been silent, spewing black smoke only occasionally. The journey was a few more days than a fortnight, by foot, but they were both allowed to fly. They would have to search the surrounding area in order to obtain the precious metal. Raven was allowed to only use her powers to mimic Starfire's. So she could fly, lift heavy objects, and use glowing balls of energy, but she couldn't use her powers to make mental probes, open portals, or to her annoyance, heal any wounds they might suffer on this journey.

It was almost time to start. Strangely, Raven felt calm. No fear, no worries. She wondered briefly if that was a bad thing.

Right now, Galfore and the rest of the Tamaraneans were to the side, as the Titans now gathered together.

Cyborg seemed to be too choked to talk, but he gathered both the girls in his arms, and gave them a warm hug. 'Be safe, baby dolls,' he managed.

Beastboy was glad for his growth spurt. It now meant that he was slight taller than the Tamaranean princess, and he cupped her face affectionately. Starfire smiled, and brought her hands to cover his. He kissed her forehead lightly. 'You can do this Star. You and Raven are gonna kick some ass. I still expect my cat-belly to be rubbed before the night is over, so be quick 'kay?' Starfire giggled.

As he let her go, Beastboy saw Robin whisper something softly in Raven's ear, before he too released her from his arms. Beastboy swallowed. Raven turned to face him, and he reached out to hold her soft hands in his. A fang poked over his lip as he contemplated whether or not he would kiss her. He refrained, knowing she wouldn't like the display of affection in front of so many strangers. But he ached _so much_ to just pick her up in his arms, and take her away. Away from this crazy land'ha, away from this alien planet, and take her somewhere he could always keeps her safe.

Maybe...just maybe one kiss wouldn't be too bad. It would be _so _worth getting put through a wall for. The Beast picked up on his indecision, yearning him to submit to his feelings.

Raven could see the swirl of emotions in his eyes. She tugged at him slightly, and wrapped her arms in a brief but warm hug. His muscled arms moved gently to wrap around her smaller frame. So warm, _so safe._ Oh...how he aroused feelings she didn't deserve.

But she cursed herself, and her emotions for letting her down. She should have been able to give him a parting kiss, should have been able to murmur words of endearment against his lips the way Starfire was doing to Robin now.

She pulled away, not wanting him to see her moment of weakness. But the arms around her waist tightened instantly, and Raven suddenly found herself pressed completely against his chest. Her arms were now trapped between them. She could feel the warmth of a heart beating underneath. She looked at him surprised.

Was he really going to...?

Instead, he touched their foreheads together before gently rubbing noses. 'You take care of yourself Rae. Don't make me come out there to get you.'

A sound that was a mixture of annoyance and humour escaped her mouth.

'Raven.' His arms loosened slightly so that she could look him right in the eyes. His emotions were literally screaming what she knew he was about to say. 'I...uh...' He swallowed. Tried again. 'I lo-'

'Ssssh.' Raven shook her head, stopping him from finishing the sentence. She let a shy smile creep across her lips. 'I know.'

Beastboy's grin could have outshone both the Tamaranian suns.

TTTTTTT

Several hours passed since Starfire and Raven had set off for their journey. Considering that there were 2 suns, night-time still came swiftly. Throughout the day, they had made quite good progress, choosing to fly at a moderately fast pace. They had only stopped a few times for meals and rest. Now, they had found a clearing and made their camp for the night. Yuvnor was located deep in the Tamaranian jungle, far from civilization. They would be out there all by themselves, having only each other to depend on. They were well stocked with supplies, and hopefully they would make it back to the Imperial Palace in a few days. Raven couldn't help but wonder at the similarities in the vegetation on this planet. If one didn't know better, a majority of the plants and trees here could have passed off as being from Earth. The only glaringly obvious difference was the colour. One usually didn't see purple and blue leaves on Earth.

But it wasn't the colour of the plants that distracted her. Raven hadn't realized until now, how much she actually depended on her powers. The sounds, moans, and rustling emitting from the dense jungle made the hair at the back of her neck stand. She bit down on her tongue, and kept telling herself it was going to be alright. She ached to send out a mental probe to see what exactly was out there, but then again, you didn't have to be an empath to realize it was most certainly alien. These were unholy sounds, noises one would never hear from a jungle on Earth. Raven didn't even want to think what lurked beyond the darkness, and swirling shadows. It was fortunate that in the remaining precious minutes before sunset, she and Starfire had been able to collect valuable wood for a fire before night fell. Now, all that pushed the inky darkness at bay was the green light that pierced the chill of uncertainty with its warmth and brightness.

Raven had already pulled out a sleeping bag for the night, and was now readying both their resting spots, while Starfire stirred the flames. Both girls worked silently, basking in each other's quiet company. Since the battle with the Puppet Master all those years ago, they had been forced to open up to each other, revealing intimate details about their past lives that their respective partners were probably still stumbling upon. Raven had found, that underneath that cheerful attitude, and bright eyes, was a hidden pain that had burdened the princess for many years. Although her optimistic disposition was certainly no act, it worked as a shield that hid the pain and suffering that Starfire had endured. It was an emotional scar that ran deep, but mercifully, time had dulled some of the memories.

It reminded her of another person who also wore a mask, metaphorically speaking. As Raven slid into her sleeping bag, allowing Starfire a few private moments with her thoughts, her mind travelled, as it often did these past few months, to the green changeling. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, loosing herself to a particular memory.

_Beastboy had been unusually quite throughout the day. No lame jokes, no boisterous yelling at videogames, and certainly no desire to share 'the awesome heavenliness of all things tofu.' He had flashed his devilishly charming grin only a scant few times, made little conversation with Robin, and had barely been involved in pulling pranks with Cyborg. _

_He had even spent an unusually short time with her. They had both been sitting in their usual spot on the couch. The team was enjoying a rare moment of peace, and had settled in to watch a movie. She couldn't have been stroking his cat form for very long before he shifted his position on her lap. Letting out a meow, he let her affectionately stroke his head one last time. His emotions had been mostly sadness, longing, and for some bizarre reason, guilt. She had looked questioningly at him, but he didn't say anything. _

_Cyborg reached out a hand to rub Beastboy's cat-chin. The fact that Beastboy allowed him to do so, made Raven instantly realize that Cyborg knew exactly what was bothering the changeling. A little jealousy pricked inside of her. What could have been so important, that Beastboy would have chosen to share some detail with him and not her? It must be something big, because there was no way Beastboy, a self-proclaimed J.R.R. Tolkien fan, would leave in the middle of the Lord of the Rings movie marathon._

_Raven wisely let a few minutes pass before she followed him. A quick mental probe indicated he was in his room. When she got to there, she noted to her surprise, that he had left his door open. She walked hesitatingly towards his room, unsure of whether he wanted company at the moment. A curious glance inside revealed that he was stretched out in his lower bunk, his attention seemed to be focused solely on a photo frame he held in his hands. Raven stopped. Cleared her throat to let him know of her presence. Then she mentally smacked herself. He had probably sensed her scent anyway. _

'_Come on in Rae, I knew you'd follow me.' He remained looking at the picture. _

_Raven walked in, skilfully navigating through the mess of clothes, books, and other possessions. She sat on the side of the bed, and he brought one hand to hold hers. 'I'm sorry. I didn't want you to worry about me or anything. I was trying to keep myself from...feeling...' he trailed off. _

_Raven gave his hand a gentle squeeze. 'Something must really be bothering you. Do you want to talk about it?' _

_He looked at her with an unreadable expression. Then, a sad smile crossed his face. He sat up properly, and handed her the photo frame. Raven wasn't sure what this had anything to do with his melancholy mood, but decided to humour him anyway. The photo was definitely a good few years old. In it was a family, and in the backdrop she saw a wild bush-land expanse. A handsome man, in his late 30's, with brown hair and blue eyes, had his arm around a beautiful blonde woman, whose smile spoke of happy times. In her arms she held a wide-eyed young toddler. His sandy blonde hair was identical to the woman's. There was something so very familiar about the grin that was plastered across the man's face. It was cheeky…charming…mischievous. With a start, Raven realized who it was. _

'_Are they your...'_

'_Mark and Maria Logan. My parents.' He read the question in her eyes. 'This was just when we shifted to Africa. My father was a biochemist, and my mother was a geneticist. They had gone to Upper Lumamba for their research work. We were there for, I don't know...maybe 3 or 4 years. They fell in love with the place, and were thinking of extending our stay. And, believe it or not Rae, it was a wonderful place to grown up in. Open expanse, cool animals, swimming in the lake nearby...it must have been every kid's dream.' The excitement in his voice grew with each passing word. It was clear, that had been a happy time in his life. He spoke of his childhood escapades in the wild jungle, and of his family's relationship with the local tribe. But suddenly, his tone switched, became more serious. 'And then, one day, I was playing outside, and I saw this real cool green monkey, you know? So, I was curious, and before I knew it, it suddenly jumped out and bit me. My parents heard me scream, and came running out. Dad chased away the monkey, but I have never seen Mom look so worried in my entire life.' _

'_That's when you got infected with sakutia right?' Raven asked quietly. She had seen his medical file, which wasn't too surprising. After all, it was Beastboy who had initially hacked into the system to confirm her16th birthday. Had that really taken place 4 years ago? Time certainly had flown by. _

'_Yeah. It's fatal for humans. My parents knew I wasn't going to survive, so they did the next best thing. They injected me with all kinds of stuff, animal DNA and what not, to give me a chance. It was...' he hesitated, unable to continue his tale. _

_She moved her hands to stroke his face comfortingly, allowing him to compose himself. He looked at her, and his emerald eyes shone with unshed tears. 'Oh Rae, it was the most painful procedure in my entire life. I hated it, being probed and poked with needles every day. I knew it killed my parents to experiment on me like that, but they did what they had to do. In the end, I survived, but not without some after effect.' His hand moved to consciously tug at his elongated ears, all the while, his fang poking over his lip. _

'_But that's not the real reason your upset .What's really bothering you Gar?' _

'_Today's their death anniversary.' His tone was flat...emotionless. _

_Raven took in a sharp breath. _

'_It happened when I was 7,' he murmured. 'We were on a boat, heading upriver. There was an accident...and the boat started sinking. By then I was able to shift into smaller animals. Mum and Dad knew that the lifeboats were ruined. They...made me promise...to change...and fly away before it was too late.'_

_For the first time in her life, Raven saw tears in Beastboy's eyes. He tried to cover it up, and shifted his position, so his back faced her. But she could see his shoulders heaving, and heard the silent sobs that wracked through his body. Without even thinking, she reached out and started to soothingly stroke both his shoulders. When he stopped crying, he turned around to face her, and Raven let him bury his face in her chest. She wrapped her arms comfortingly around him, and gently rocked him. His grip on her was tight…as if searching for something to cling to. His emotions were at the peak of sadness and loss. The sheer strength and depth of his pain made it difficult for her to concentrate on anything else. _

_The emotional transference was too strong. Beastboy would never know, but a single tear rolled down the curve of Raven's cheek. _

Raven suddenly woke up. Maybe it was the absence of warmth, since the fire from the night before had died, or the fact that she was sleeping on the unforgiving hardness of a foreign planet, but any more drowsiness was slowing fading away. It took a second for her eyes to get used to the darkness. It was before dawn, and the sun had yet to rise. She turned to see that Starfire was pulling up her _land'ha_ outfit over her smooth orange skin. She must have been up not too long before her.

'Oh…I am sorry Raven. I did not mean to wake you.'

'No,' Raven's voice was still thick with slumber. She cleared her throat before continuing. 'I just woke up anyway. Old habit. We should probably keep going.' She extracted herself from the warmth of sleeping bag too quickly and immediately regretted it. It was unbelievably cold at the moment. Suppressing a shiver, she said, 'the faster we finish this, the quicker we can go back home.'

Raven winched at how the last few words sounded…as if she didn't care. 'That…came out wrong Star..'

'It is alright. Truth be told,' a small smile crossed her face, 'I too wish to return to Earth.'

Raven gave a small smile in reply before turning to get ready again. Time was of the essence, and they had quite a way to go before their work was done.

TTTTTT

Minutes became hours, which stretched into 3 longs days. The girls continued their brisk pace, and rather enjoyed this aspect of the challenge. They talked, slept and ate together, and had even bathed in the same stream that trickled through the thick jungle. She had been a little hesitant, unsure whether the liquid flowing through would be compatible with her skin, but Starfire reassured her that all was well. Surprisingly, Starfire had been wonderful company. Personally, Raven liked this more silent yet insightful side of the princess. Her company at night was a welcome distraction from the Tamaranen night, which Raven had still not gotten used to. Raven knew Tamaran held many memories for Starfire, most of which weren't the best. All her troubles had started here, and Raven knew how Starfire had been pawned away like an insignificant object to the Citadel, all for the sake of her planet. Raven didn't pursue that particular line of conversation, but had instead inquired about her first impression of Earth. Starfire's reply still brought a smile to her face.

_A planet with borders? How primitive._

Through their journey, they kept Yavnor in their line of vision. Initially it had only been a speck in the distance. However, with each day they drew closer, Raven realized that even at their current position, Yavnor would easily dwarf some of the tallest mountains on Earth. They had not brought warm clothes, so Raven assumed any of the metal they had to extract was probably near the base.

On the fourth day of their journey, Starfire and Raven were harshly reminded, that the _land'ha_ was not to be underestimated one bit. They had both landed to take a small break. It was near dusk, so they would probably not travel more than an hour after this. Raven took out a flask filled with water, when she saw Starfire's eye's suddenly glow green. The warrior princess grabbed her spear, and watched her eyes rake the jungle surrounding them. That's when Raven heard it as well.

A soft rustle, almost undetectable.

Something was out there, watching them. Whatever it was, it was big, and as Raven strained her ears to hear better, she could tell that there was more than one out there. She silently unsheathed her swords. The girls stood facing the dark jungle, acutely aware how they could not manage to both see in all 4 directions.

_Damn it all_. The rustling grew louder, and judging by the sound, whatever was out there was no longer attempting to be stealthy. Raven could swear they were being surrounded now. She was about to say something to Starfire when she heard her yelp. Raven spun around to face her when she saw a bright light blind her.

An excruciating pain filled her entire body as her spine bent backwards until it felt like it was inches from cracking. She was levitated off the ground, and the moment the bright light disappeared, Raven's body crumpled to the ground, and blackness enveloped all her senses.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Author's Note**: Hey everybody...really sorry that I've been AWOL for so long. Life called. But I'm back now and still very intent on finishing this story. I have a rough outline planned out and I shall fix it here and there as I go along. Excuse any mistakes on the way._

_**DISCLAIMER**: I own nothing. Literally..._

* * *

Raven couldn't have blanked out for more than a few seconds, minutes at most. But the sheer energy of the shock had sucked all the energy from her. Her insides burned in protest, as she dug in both swords into the ground to lift herself up. As her senses came to, she gritted her teeth and tried to absorb what was going on around her.

Starfire must have recovered quicker than her, because she was already on her feet. She was snarling in anger as she faced their attackers. Raven swallowed a groan as she too got a good look around her. They were surrounded now by half a dozen Tamaranians. They didn't look like Imperial guards, but with their sharp weapons and covered faces, Raven realized that this was out of the ordinary. She may not have been Tamaranian, but even she knew interrupting a royal heiress completing her _land'ha_ borderlined on treachery if not execution. Somebody, somewhere was pulling the strings, and that was a powerful incentive for worry.

'Starfire, what's going on?' Raven said. Now she too stood and took a defensive stance. She'd be damned if she let herself be caught off guard again. She angled her back slightly to Starfire as she surveyed and assessed their attackers.

Starfire ignored her question as she glared intensely at a monstrously muscled man. He said something in their native language to which Starfire replied curtly. Raven may not have been using her empathic powers, but from their tone and body language, she could clearly tell this particular attacker was enjoying taunting Starfire. Out of the corner of her eye though, Raven detected the slightest change from her friend. Starfire, placed one leg behind her and the long spear she held was angled upwards. Only years of training and fighting beside Stafire told Raven that this was a subtle move into an attack position. Raven carefully shifted her weight from one booted foot to the other.

_Any second now..._

All she needed was a signal from Starfire.

Without warning, Starfire cast a bolt to the man at her left, before flying out to slash at the largest attacker. Raven immediately somersaulted out of the way of another energy shot. With a quick deft movement she used her swords to cut the weapon into two pieces. The Tamaranian was clearly not expecting such an attack. As he looked up stupidly, he was greeted with Raven's boot encased in black energy. In the meantime, Starfire embraced her warrior princess heritage. With quick and deadly accuracy, she had already disposed of half their attackers. Not to be outdone, Raven stretched her powers to both her arms and legs. By enhancing the strength of the blows she delivered, she was able to match Starfire's power enough to send two of their attackers reeling back. Using precisely aimed energy balls, she hit her targets in all their weak spots, making them crumble to the ground just like she had minutes before.

Breathing heavily, she quickly turned around to help Starfire deal with the largest attacker. But, it was clear her assistance was not required. If anything, she felt pity for the man. He had no idea what was about to hit him, several times...in painful places...with brutal strength. While he seemed to land the odd devastating blow here and there, he was no match for the sheer speed of Starfire's attack. She dodged and weaved around him deftly, all the while landing her own attacks. With one swift and powerful kick to his back she sent him flying face first to the ground. He flipped around quickly only to find his face inches away from two sharp swords and a deadly spear.

'I will ask you once again,' Stafire switched to English. 'Who sent you? And why did they send you after us?'

The man remained silent, staring hatefully at his queen. Lifting a booted foot, Starfire planted it calmly on an open, bleeding gash on his shoulder and pressed down. The man's face contorted in pain but he still remained silent. Sighing as if dealing with a petulant child, Starfire bore down with all her inward strength. Unable to bear the pain anymore, he let out a scream of pain, and Raven could see a clear imprint on her boot bruising around the wound.

Starfire calmly pulled the hair away from her face with her free hand, and repeated her question. With loathing eyes, he must have given the wrong reply, because suddenly, Starfire shot a starbolt inches from his left ear, easily making his hair singe. The arrogance left his features immediately, as his eyes opened wide and nostrils flared in surprise. Not many Tamaranians had witnessed Stafire's fight with Blackfire, only heard the exaggerated rumors. To first hand witness the starbolts, a painful result of her imprisonment by the Citadel, made him realize his mistake. As he stammered his reply, Starfire listened quietly, the expression on her face unreadable. When he was finished, Starfire gestured for Raven to move back and lower her weapons. Raven watched in quiet astonishment as she let the man limp back to his feet. The other attackers recovered and joined their fallen leader. The man lowered his head in the slightest on bows before turning his back. Both girls watched the slow gait of their injured attackers heading back towards the forest. A dark scowl flashed across Starfire's face and she shot a bolt directly behind the leader's legs. The lumbering giant yelped in shock, before throwing a furtive glance behind and continued his escape at a significantly quicker pace.

Starfire turned around to face Raven, and in one quick movement gathered her friend in a hug. 'Are you alright? I am so sorry for what has happened. I assure you none of this was part of the _land'ha_. I will-'

Raven pulled herself back slightly, but not completely out of the embrace to interrupt her friend. 'What the hell just happened? What did they want?'

Starfire opened her mouth to respond, but her eyes were suddenly drawn downwards to Raven's chest. 'Raven! You are injured!' she cried in concern. Raven quickly looked down to see a deep red colour soak through her uniform. Without thinking she quickly pulled at the garment to inspect the wound. She was surprised she had felt no pain, but was caught completely off guard when she saw that there was no injury that would cause so much blood loss.

'How...' but she already knew the answer. Her eyes flew to Starfire. Her friend was holding one hand through a profusely bleeding wound, and the other looking curiously at the blood on her hands. A small 'oh' sound escaped her now pale lips, as her body suddenly gave in to the pull of gravity.

Raven leaped forward and grabbed Starfire just seconds before she fell once more.

TTTTTTT

Beastboy lay on the bed in his room, absentmindedly throwing a ball around. It was his favourite and he usually played with it in his dog form. Sometimes, it was a great form of release to give in to his animal instincts and let his inhibitions go. Whether it was flying through the clouds as an eagle, or running through the woods as a wolf, he had never felt as alive as when he was one with nature. His senses would be filled with the smell of the surrounding environment as his human behaviour took a momentary back seat. But right now, he was feeling a very human emotion of worry. Starfire and Raven had been travelling for almost a week now and he couldn't help but feel uneasy. Without any form of communication, it was hard not to think of any worst case sceneros. Is this how every couple felt? Why couldn't he be more relaxed? Like Robin? He seemed fine. Keeping himself preoccupied with daily reports from the Titans network, working out, _how does he even do that? There's no gym! _or talking with Galfore.

He let out a small groan...he knew exactly why.

Ever since that hiccup with Raven a few months back he had been slightly worried. The Beast had started becoming more vocal, and Beastboy found himself hearing more and more of the Beast at the back of his mind. The creature feed on all of Beastboy's pure emotions and subconscious and brought forward feelings and thoughts he normally would never find himself having. It was like being constantly on guard. The only person he had confided in was Cyborg. He remembered how his friend had listened intently to his fears that the Beast would again try taking over like he had those years before.

_Beastboy finished explaining to his friend everything that had just occurred including the fight with Raven._

'_I can't tell her about this Cy. This would be too much. I mean, we've only been dating for 2 months. Things don't progress that quick. I...I don't want to scare her away by thinking I'm some sort of clingy, needy freak'_

'_Listen BB,' Cyborg said gently. 'First of all, I highly doubt Raven would think that. Maybe she thought that initially-'_

'_Cy-' Beastboy warned_

'_But she wouldn't be with you now if she still felt the same way,' Cyborg continued undeterred. 'Raven is one of the most understanding people I know. Maybe being a half-demon makes her less judgemental that most. She's seen something in you, that she clearly likes, or by now your relationship would be over.'_

'_I had no idea you had such faith in us. I'm touched,' Beastboy said sarcastically. _

'_Here's the point I'm trying to make. Raven knows the Beast is an integral part of you. A part that can not, and should not be separated. True, the Beast does have a mind of its own, but only because you are afraid of using him, of controlling him, and most importantly understanding him. He wants what you want, and you want Raven.'_

_Beastboy looked at his friend. He had never thought of it that way. Had he made a mistake compartmentalizing the Beast? _

'_Maybe, deep down, you've always cared about her from the start. I mean, she was the first to make the mistake of saying you were funny, God knows why. And you picked up on that. Sure, you both got distracted somewhere along the way, but not anymore. You've known each other for a while now. It's only natural you develop feelings for someone you spend so much time with. For the Beast to desire Raven and think of her as a mate shouldn't come as a surprise. 'Cause honestly, I really don't think you just like her a lot, I think you're really nervous because it could be something much more...'_

Beastboy missed the ball and it connected painfully with his head. Wincing slightly he sat up.

A few months, and the prospect of a life-threatening gauntlet had made him come to terms with what Cyborg had said. Maybe he was ready for things to move forward, but was Raven? Since their first kiss, she had slowly opened herself to more intimate contact. But, he'd be a fool to fantasize too far ahead. Thinking back, he was relieved in a way that Raven had stopped him from saying those 3 powerful words. He didn't doubt how she felt, but maybe, she wasn't ready to hear what he had to say yet. It would be asking too much from her. And she had already changed so much for him...

Just the thought of Raven seemed to awaken the Beast from his silence. He sniffed the air for any trace of her scent. Sensing none, he whined softly and retreated back into the depths of Beastboy's mind.

_I miss her too. God, I hope she's alright. _

TTTTTTTTT

Miraculously, Starfire didn't lose consciousness. Raven supported her weight and lay her down as gently as she could onto the ground. She was furious with herself for not being more on her guard. She instinctively brought her hands to Starfire's chest, about to heal her, but Starfire grabbed onto her wrists.

'Nau...' she whispered weakly. A trail of blood dribbled from the corner of her mouth. She coughed and more blood seeped from the stab wound.

'Starfire, you have to let me. You'll die unless I do something right now! You can start again when you heal. The Council will understand. For Azar's sake, we were attacked! That wasn't part of the _land'ha!_'

Starfire shook her head, and gestured weakly to her pack. Raven would have argued once more, but something in her eyes conveyed a deep sense of urgency. Raven quickly brought the bag and emptied its contents. Painfully, Starfire rolled to her side, and her blood-soaked hands spread the contents, looking for something in particular. She picked out a rather large vial of dark blue liquid. She motioned Raven to open the vial, and Raven pried the cork out.

'Pour it...' Starfire swallowed painfully, 'directly on the wound.'

Raven did so without hesitation. She almost dropped the entire vial when Starfire let out a bloodcurdling scream. Horrified, Raven was certain, in a cloud of pain, Starfire had chosen the wrong healing serum. She watched helplessly as the alien princess writhed in pain and the wound sizzled and bubbled as if acid had been poured instead. Raven was about to use her magic to heal her, when Starfire suddenly rolled onto her front. She somehow brought herself up to her knees, but her head hung low, and her thick red hair, covered her. Raven moved slowly to place a hand on her shoulder, but even before she placed her palm, she could feel a deep heat radiating off the princess. A burning, green glow seemed to simmer right below Starfire's skin and Raven retracted her hand and watched warily, unsure what to do next.

Starfire lifted her head and with both hands moved her hair out of the way to look directly at Raven. Her eyes were glowing green like the rest of her body, when suddenly she blinked and the glow faded back to her normal orange tan. Wordlessly, she stated to peel away the top of her uniform exposing herself. She looked down at where a deep stab wound once lay, but instead they both saw that the wound had instead closed and new skin was forced to grown. But the top of the surface was still raw and exposed, shining red like a burn.

'Raven, if you do not mind. I require some assistance,' Starfire said, pain clouding her voice. 'I must remove my garment so that we can cover the wound.' Starfire winced and her hands clawed into the dirt.

Raven nodded and helped the injured Starfire shrug off the top of the uniform. Turning her back she quickly took out the bedding to make Starfire more comfortable. Without looking Raven said, 'I don't think we should continue today. You're in no condition to endure a couple of hours of flight or hiking.' She took out some bandages and a new uniform. She felt uncomfortable looking at her best friend topless, but right now, she knew she had spare the embarrassment. Starfire needed immediate medical attention, and that's exactly what Raven was going to give her.

Starfire leaned back onto her elbows, allowing Raven to sanitize the wound and clean off the blood that now left trails down her stomach. Her face contorted, and she bit down on her lip to keep from crying out. Ignoring the shuddering of Starfire's pained body, Raven worked as quickly as she could. Gently, she placed a wad of gauze and set a bandage across Starfire's chest. She was about to hand her a new uniform, when Starfire shook her head.

'I need to absorb sunlight to heal. We are fortunate there is still plenty of daylight. There is enough time for me to let my body being the process of healing itself.'

Raven nodded her head and averted her eyes. She busied herself with packing away the things she had strewn on the ground when looking for the healing serum. Starfire must have sensed her unease. 'Perhaps, you would like to seek out some firewood? I do not think we shall be able to continue until much later tomorrow. Take your communicator so that we may be in contact.'

'Good idea. Call if you need anything. I won't go too far anyway. I'll stay within shouting distance.'

Starfire nodded, before shedding off the remainder of her uniform and stretching out on top on her sleeping bag. Raven took the time to quickly inspect herself. Apart from a small burn mark where the electric shock had burned her shoulder, and a few minor cuts and bruises, she was largely unharmed. Picking up her abandoned swords she made her way into the forest. This would give her the time to compose in her mind all the questions she was burning to ask Starfire, starting with _**What in Azar is going on**__?_

TTTTTTTTTT

Robin sat reading one of the numerous reports of the Titans. He was so engrossed in his work he didn't hear the soft knock on his door. Only when it turned into a sharp rap, did he snap out of his trance. Frowning, he placed his discarded mask back onto his face, and opened the door.

'Hey dude. I was wondering if you have a moment.' Beastboy asked.

'Is it important? I have a back log of paperwork, and-'

'Yes. I mean, no. Well, no...I mean I'm not sure. It could be nothing, but still.'

Robin frowned. He really didn't have time for any distractions.

Taking a deep breath, Beastboy continued, 'I was just roaming through the palace, 'cause you know, Cy blew up the PlayStation cause he miscalculated the voltage, which I _told_ him would happen, but his judgement is clouded with all the meat he gobbles, and so obviously-'

'Beastboy, get to the point' Robin said tiredly.

'Oh...right, sorry. So anyway, I was wandering through the halls when I see two of the Council members of the Ku'ya that Starfire introduced us to. And, I don't know, but I remember always thinking there was something weird about them. I smelled something funny you know?'

'Beastboy, we're on a different planet, things are bound to seem different.'

'No no. You don't understand. I mean, I literally smelled something different. I've had enough close contact with Starfire to know that Tamaranians have a different scent to us. But, one of these guys, and I'm not sure who, smelled more...alien, more specifically, non-Tamaranian.' This seemed to get Robin's attention and he stood a little straighter paying more attention to what the changeling was saying.

Emboldened by seeing Robin's interest, Beastboy continued, 'So, I was curious, and snuck close to them, like a chameleon, 'cause of their camouflage abilities. And I've been on enough reconnisance missions to know when two guys are talking about something they don't want others to hear. I know they were speaking in Tamaranian, but dude, the way they were being all snoopy and hush hush, I figured something was up. So, I turned on the recording device I had, and got some of their conversation. They didn't talk long, but I think we should translate, and see what's going on.'

Robin considered what the changeling was suggesting. It would not seem strange. It made sense. The Queen was marrying an outsider, surely this wouldn't go down well with aliens as serious about laws and tradition as the Tamaranians. Could they really be plotting something behind the Titans' backs, knowing that their full attention would be on the _land'ha_?

'Call Cyborg. He knows some Tamaranian. I want to know what we have before I take it to Galfore. It could be nothing, and we'd only make a fool of ourselves. And, if it really is important, then we'll bring it to his attention. Either way, let's play it safe.'

Beastboy nodded and within minutes both boys huddled around the table in their common room as Cyborg listened intently to the recorded conversation. He frowned now and then, scribbling into a notepad, pausing the tape, and scribbling more. After a length, he stopped the tape and leaned back into his chair, releasing a deep breath.

'Well? What are they talking about?' asked Robin impatiently.

'My Tamaranian is pretty rusty, since it's been a while, and I don't really practice. What I'm fairly sure, is that they're using some sort of code to communicate. They're saying...trophy, or prize, quite a few times. Something about, giving a trophy so those who deserve it?' He frowned. He looked at this notepad, 'Yea, and also they're talking about something changing hands, I can't figure out what. One of 'em keeps asking about some package. It must be important, 'cause he seems real concerned about it. Wants to know if it's authentic. And how soon he can get it. That's...um...let me just,' Cyborg glanced again at notes. 'Right, and they discuss waiting for the right time. They keep calling it...um...I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing it right, _shamai._ That's as far as I can figure out.'

Robin leaned back into his chair, his fingers drumming the table thoughtfully on the table. Beastboy's fang poked out of his mouth whenever he was deep in thought. All the boys eyed the recorder wondering if they had stumbled onto something much bigger than what it seemed. It was Cyborg who was the first to break the silence.

'Should we ask Galfore? If this really is something top secret, then he's the only one I trust besides Starfire to translate it properly.'

'We need more intel,' Robin said. 'If there really is something going on, it may not necessarily be our problem, and Tamaranians don't take kindly to outsiders interfering in their personal affairs.' Beastboy opened his mouth to protest, but Robin raised a hand to stop him before continuing. 'Let's gather some more data, and get a better picture. Then, once we have all the evidence, we give it to Galfore and let him call the shots. As much as I would like to investigate this further, I don't have a lot of time, especially when I promised Starfire I'd be planning and discussing our future nuptials with Galfore.'

At this Beastboy snorted, but quickly composed himself when their leader shot him a glare. Cyborg, however, was able to successfully slip in a coughed 'Whipped' in. Scowling, Robin continued, 'However, since the _both of you_ seem to have so much extra time, you do some of the heavy work. Get close to them, find out their identities, backgrounds, whatever you can get your hands on, and report back to me. Since you've both been complaining about being bored, I imagine this should keep you occupied for a while.'

With a satisfied smirk, Robin got up and left. Turning to Beastboy Cyborg said, 'I swear man, if all of this ends up being nothing, I will personally throw out all that shit tofu you got, and make you wear nothing but 'I love Bugs Bunny' underwear at the next Titan's party.'-

Beastboy fixed a serious gaze at his best friend and said quietly, 'And if I'm right?'

TTTTTTTTTT

Raven helped removed the bandage across Starfire's chest. She closely inspected the wound, and was impressed with how quickly it had healed. All that remained now was an angry red scar that Starfire rubbed some balm on. A sigh of pleasure escaped her lips as the coolness of the balm elevated the heated pain of the burn. They had spent a little over a day camped in the clearing where they had been attacked. They had both been on edge, expecting another ambush anytime, and had a fitful night of sleep, but it seemed they were in no immediate danger.

Hoping to take their mind off the attack, Raven asked Starfire a question that was bothering her for a while. 'Starfire, every night I hear the most unnatural calls from the forest. But, nothing seems to bother us any time. Are all creatures here afraid of fire or something?'

Starfire gave a small smile. 'It was very shrewd of you to notice Raven. You are correct. While this is not the most dangerous section of Tamaran's numerous forests and jungles, there are all manners of creatures both harmless and dangerous. Nevertheless, even here, as you correctly assumed, we should have been attacked by some manner of beast. But, I made something that helps in this mission.' Bringing down the spear in her hand she pointed out a particularly large and striking gem near the top, right before the sharp tip. 'This is a high-pitch emitting diode. Most creatures on Tamaran have a very acute sensory range. This pitch is beyond our hearing range. So, while most creatures may smell us as a potential meal, they can not come anywhere near us without causing severe pain to their auditory senses. 'She pointed to a specific gem on the ornate belt draped across Raven's hips. 'I made one for you as well, so that we may both be safe at all times, at least from any natural predators.'

Raven looked down where Starfire pointed. She was extremely relieved that Starfire had the foresight to take some precautions. 'Thank you. I had no idea you did that.'

Starfire waved off the gratitude. 'It was nothing.'

They continued on their journey for a little while, flying side by side in silence. Finally, Raven asked what had really been bothering her for a while. 'Starfire,' she started carefully, wanting to phrase her words so that the warrior princess wouldn't be hurt. 'I never got the chance to ask you properly, but, why were we attacked like that? I thought the _land'ha _didn't involve any Tamaranian outside the participating individuals. Did they change the rules? You told me my training wouldn't come into proper use until the second part of the trials.'

Starfire slowed her flight speed, drawing back a little before coming to a complete stop. Puzzled, Raven stopped in mid-air as well, and floated closer to her.

Stafire's sorrowful green eyes looked at Raven's questioning amethyst ones. 'I am sorry Raven. I truly am. I did not expect this. It is unheard of, and I assure you I will inform Galfore of this as soon as we return.'

'That doesn't answer my question.'

Starfire never broke her gaze, but Raven could feel the flash of sadness and guilt that lurked beneath. 'It seems that there is someone...powerful...who wishes for my failure in this _land'ha_. That way, they can lead a successful coup, and take over the throne of Tamaran.'

Raven controlled the shock and surprise that threatened to lash out and flatten some of the trees below them. 'So, while we're out here in the middle of nowhere, with no means of contacting any outside help, there's somebody trying to assassinate you?' It sounded ludicrous when she said it out loud. She would happily chalk this up to a misunderstanding.

'Nau, not exactly.' Starfire said.

'So what then? You interrogated that man. And then let him go! Without any other questions! They attacked us out of nowhere and you let them go scot free! Are you really trying to tell me that there's no one out there trying actively to _**kill you?**_

'Nau.' Starfire paused before continuing.

'There's someone powerful out here trying to kill the _**both**_ of us.'

* * *

**_Oh shizzle...what's gonna happen next?_**

**_R&R folks! I wanna hear what you gotta say  
_**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Author's Note**: ZOMG! Another Chapter? In 24 hours? _

_Hell has frozen over. _

_In this chapter, the first phase of the Land'ha is almost over as the ladies make the last push to Yavnor. We also delve a little more into the ever-changing relationship of BB and Rae. _

_Thanks again for the favs and reviews! Keep 'em comin' and I shall continue to improve my writing. _

_**DISCLAIMER**: *checks pockets* nope...still owns nada. _

* * *

Starfire followed as Raven dropped to the ground. She watched silently as Raven threw off her bag. She took out her swords, thrusting them viciously into the ground tip downwards. Still ignoring Starfire, she folded her legs and assumed the lotus position. Starfire sighed as she saw Raven's mouth move soundlessly to chant her mantra. Knowing that it would be a while before the empath gathered her emotions and brought them under her control, she prepared herself for the long explanation she would inevitably have to give.

After what seemed like hours to the anxious Tamaranian, Raven finally stopped chanting her mantra, and her body lowered itself from its floating position. In the meantime, Starfire had started a fire as it was close to getting dark. Not much progress had been made that day, which disappointed both of them, but right now there were more important things that needed clarification.

Starfire stopped her actions when Raven spoke to her.

'Based on the last few days, I'm going to draw some inferences. I don't need you to explain anything unless I specifically ask. Just answer yes or no,' she deadpanned. Starfire winced internally at the flatness of Raven's tone, but nodded her head in agreement.

'Let's being with how we ended up in this situation in the first place. The _land'ha _is a tradition where royal heirs must complete a set of trails in order to prove their worthiness to take on the Tamaranian throne. While it's to be completed almost solely by the heir, they are allowed someone to accompany them.'

Starfire nodded.

'This person, called the _bondho _is the loyal comrade. It's a symbolism to show people that by convincing some fool to accompany you on this mindlessly violent and life threatening trial –'Raven couldn't help but feel the twinge of Starfire's emotion, but she continued coldly, 'you have displayed your skills of diplomacy and tact.'

'That is not entirely true. The _bondho_ also symbolizes-'

Raven raised her hand, and Starfire reluctantly closed her mouth to let the dark sorceress continue, 'It was my understanding that this was something only the two of us would be involved with. Nobody would bother us, let alone try to _kill_ us. I risked my life for you, because at one time, you did the same for me. I am repaying a debt I owned you for years. But, at the time, I let you know exactly what you were up against. I sat down, and clearly explained the situation. How best to attack my father, how to defeat him, and how to save me. If I even _suspected_ that something would help you, or put your life at risk, I let all of you know immediately.'

'This is no different!' Starfire said with a frown on her face. 'We discussed the trials months beforehand.'

'Yes, we did.' Raven locked eyes with Starfire. 'As much as I blocked my empathic abilities, I can still, to a certain, level feel what you're feeling. Getting attacked was not part of the plan. That's for sure. So naturally, I was surprised and caught off guard. But you...' Raven's voice now dropped to a deathly low.

Starfire looked unblinkingly at Raven, but she couldn't control her hands involuntarily curling into fists.

'You knew,' Raven whispered the words quietly.

Starfire's breathing hitched momentarily. Not a leaf shock in the forest, as the wind dropped unexpectedly. It seemed all of nature stilled with Raven's revelation.

'You knew deep inside that there was a risk involved with your return. Blackfire must have left some supporters, some who still thought she was the rightful Queen. Who warned you about that? Galfore?'

'Yes,' Starfire said.

'So,' Raven took a deep breath before continuing, 'you knew coming here for the _land'ha_ potentially put your life in danger. You suspected you'd be ambushed at one point, so you weren't in the least bit caught off guard when that pack of murderers came after us.'

Now Starfire interrupted, 'I did not think they would have the imbecilic courage to attack me during the _land'ha_! I expected a coup at some other point. Nearer to the end. If they were caught in the beginning then they would be executed without hesitation.'

Raven narrowed her eyes. 'And you didn't want any of your people receiving capital punishment. Even if it meant putting your own life on the line.'

'Yes. How can my first action as a Queen be to execute my fellow subjects? The person responsible for the attack knew I would not take such drastic measures.'

'My real question is this, if you suspected that you...we...would be attacked, and maybe even killed, why didn't you warn me about this?'

Starfire's shoulders sagged in defeat. She didn't answer the question immediately. With sorrowful eyes, she said, 'because I feared you would refuse. Please Raven, you must understand. I did not know anyone else I trusted more. Robin would not have sufficed because he is my betrothed. It would seem only natural for him to join. But, you are my friend, my sister. Your presence carries more value, more weight. Some might even think that having an outsider as a _bondho_ was a strategically important move. I have displayed support from a planet other than ours. I have shown a possible ally for Tamaran and her interests.'

'So, I'm just a pawn in your bid to win the throne?' Raven's voice barely held back the anger. 'I trained furiously beside you, fought beside you, almost had you _die _in my arms! All for show?'

'Nau Raven,' Starfire pleaded desperately. 'Not when you say it like that. I would never put you knowingly in danger! It was only a suspicion! I did not realize the magnitude of the situation until now! We were supposed to complete this without any interference. I needed your support. I could not do this without you, so I did not wish to scare you into refusal.' Starfire expression held deep regret and apology. She was afraid now that she would be losing Raven in more than one way.

Raven stood up, as did Starfire. 'How could you think so little of me? After what you did against Trigon? You leapt into danger without thinking twice, yet you doubted I would do the same? We risk our lives on a daily basis Starfire! We're heroes, that's our job! It's what we do!'

'Raven, please calm down,' Starfire watched warily as the trees surrounding them started to bend as Raven's frustration increased.

'No, I'm not _nearly _done.' Raven seethed. 'You're my best friend Starfire. That fact that I agreed without hesitation to do this should have been an indication where my true loyalties lay. I would have accompanied you to the darkest corners of the universe if you asked me, because you helped save me from the deepest pits of hell.'

'Raven, I do not doubt your loyalties. Let me explain-'

'You didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth,' Raven lashed out.

'Only because I sought to protect you!' Starfire shout back with equal force.

'From what?' Raven cried in exasperation.

'From this!' Starfire yelled back. 'You think I wanted to do this? To put you needlessly in harm's way? This is life on Tamaran. This is how things are done. Lessons are taught through hardship and pain. There is no room for comfort and joy. My own father pawned me off like I was nothing, for the safety of my people, my planet! By completing this _land'ha_ successfully I wanted to initiate a change. I wanted to make a difference. My time on Earth made me realize how inflexible and outdated some of the laws of Tamaran are.' Starfire gestured wildly around them. 'You think I want this life for my future children? Do you think I would knowingly force them into a deadly trail like this? Nurture and love them, only to thrust them into the deep jungles, praying to X'Hal they survive? I loved Tamaran, but I escaped from the Citadel and didn't return here for a reason.' Starefire's red mane of hair shook furiously. ' I am not my father. I refuse to intentionally put my children through what we are going through right now.'

Raven had never thought of it like that. She had been so preoccupied with fuelling Rage that it never occurred to her Starfire had other goals. But right now, she didn't feel very understanding either. 'You know what. Say whatever helps ease your guilt. But when this is all over, I am through. When we're back on Earth, we're just team mates. Nothing more.'

'Raven,' Starfire said softly, all her frustration suddenly dissipating with Raven's words. 'You are angry. You do not mean that. Friends fight. It is a natural part of the relationship...of any relationship.'

'The fact of the matter is,' Raven said turning her back to Starfire, 'you didn't trust me enough to be completely honest. That's not what best friends do.'

Hurt splashed across Starfire's face. 'You no longer wish to be best friends? After everything we have been through?'

Raven didn't reply.

TTTTTTTT

With a swirl of magic, Knowledge arrived in the realm of Wisdom. Pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose, she hurried to find her emotional counterpart. Shifting the books in her arms, she fly across the landscape, looking around anxiously. Unlike her domain, which was covered in bookshelves as far as the eye could see, Wisdom's domain was a mixture of both the mystical and the natural. Few floating rocks could be seen, but every single one was covered in soft green grass, and a large tree providing a comfortable place to sit.

As Knowledge hastened across the plain, she crossed into a small forest, weaving quickly through the trees. Noticing a clearing, she quickened her pace to arrive at her destination. In the middle of Wisdom's domain, lay a clear blue pool. To the side, a small waterfall, similar to the one on Titan's Island flowed down, causing a small mist to stretch across the surface. Near the edge of the pool sat Wisdom, her eyes closed, and her hands extended towards a glowing orb floating in front of her.

Knowledge came close to Wisdom, and cleared her throat, waiting for the Emotion to finish her meditation. Without opening her eyes, or changing position, Wisdom spoke, 'Sit down Knowledge. I'm almost finished here.'

Momentarily distracted from her original train of thought Knowledge enquired, 'How is It progressing? Any changes?'

'No,' Wisdom replied, frowning slightly, eyes still shut. The orb throbbed a little in her hands. 'It grew significantly over the last few months since that bank robbery, but it hasn't changed in a while.'

Knowledge nodded in agreement. 'That's understandable. There's been negligible contact with him for the past few weeks. This _land'ha_ is mentally exhausting. I haven't had time to concentrate on anything else.'

'I know. But, I haven't lost hope. There is plenty of time for more development. This is a complex emotion, and will take more time than us to form.' Opening her eyes to reveal a white glow, she muttered softly, '_Azarath Metrion Zinthos.' _The blue orb pulsated a few times before flying up into to the sky, and shooting off into the distance like a comet.

'Who did you send it to now?'

'Rage. I figure since this issue with Starfire, she needs a quick distraction.'

'Right,' said Knowledge. 'That brings me to why I'm here. We need to be more careful. Rage gained a lot of control. And Raven wasn't really bothered with controlling her. I think you should come with me. We need to check on two Emotions in particular.'

'Who were the ones most affected this time?' asked Wisdom, getting up to follow Knowledge through a portal she opened. 'Happy and Affection,' replied Knowledge hurrying ahead. 'I left Courage, Timid, and Rude to keep an eye on them, but last I saw, their cloak hem and leotard had trimmings of red.' Wisdom frowned as she digested what Knowledge said. 'Why those two in particular? I've been distracted maintaining the Orb. What happened?'

'Raven had a fight with Starfire.' Knowledge pushed her glasses back up. 'Made some accusations, tempers flared. You remember that Happy was created in response to Starfire and Beastboy. And Affection has always had a particular sweet spot for Starfire since that body swap from the Puppet Master's fight. She felt betrayed that someone she trusted didn't believe in her. Rage latched onto those two. She would have spread through both too if it hadn't been for Affection. She somehow found the presence of mind to push back, and I was able to step in and offer some help. Happy didn't take it as well though. Hopefully, the others have helped somewhat.'

Wisdom and Knowledge arrived just in time to see Timid help Happy to her feet. Wisdom moved forward and laid a hand on her shoulder. 'How are you feeling?' she asked in concern.

'Like Mammoth just used my head as a punching bag,' Happy replied groggily. 'Azar, is this what a hangover feels like? I'm missing nothing.' Every Emotions' eyes were drawn to her leotard and cloak. A collective sigh of relief was released when no tell-tale red hue could be noticed. Happy twirled around so everyone got a good look. Like Raven, all the Emotions sported her new costume change. She picked up the gloves she must have torn off when under Rage's influence and pulled them back on. She clucked her tongue in annoyance when she noticed the fingertips ripped. But, a quick spell later, she faced all her Emotional doppelgangers and flashed a thumbs-up. 'See,' she chirped cheerfully, 'No harm, no foul. We're good.'

Courage peered at Happy curiously. 'Really? Because for a moment there you went absolutely ballistic.'

'Totally bat shit crazy,' added Rude in agreement.

'Certifiably insane,' said Knowledge.

'You got quiet the sailor mouth on you. I swear I'll wash your mouth out with soap if you ever do that again,' Courage warned, wagging her finger at Happy, who only giggled nervously.

'It's not her fa..fa..fault,' stammered Timid quietly. 'Rage was too powerful.'

'Agreed,' said Knowledge. 'We're going to have to make our defences stronger. Happy, do you feel any different? Any weaker?'

Happy closed her eyes, and a pink glow briefly enveloped her. 'No,' she said. 'I'm good. How's Affection?' Suddenly, every eye turned to look around. 'She was right here,' replied Courage looking around. 'I think she may have gone back to her place,' said Rude shrugging her shoulders. Wisdom gestured to Knowledge to follow her.

A quick teleportation spell later they found themselves in the Cliffside domain that Affection inhabited. Across the clear rolling hills, a large cliff dropped down steeply. In the distance, the sound of waves crashing on a beach could be heard, but for the most part, the two visiting Emotions peered at the hills, hoping to catch a glimpse of purple against the tall green grass. Finding Affection they quickly made their way over to her.

Affection had taken off her cloak, and lay on top of it. Her boots lay to the side, and one arm covered her face, as if trying to block out the rest of the world. The other hand rested on a toned abdomen, her chest rising and falling in controlled breathing. It was easy to tell the possession by Rage had taken a toll on her strength.

'Hey,' Knowledge said quietly as she took a seat beside Affection. Wisdom followed suit and they both waited for Affection to reply. They let Affection take her time to answer.

'I didn't mean it,' she said after a while. Sitting up she looked at both the level-headed Emotions and continued. 'I will always be there for Starfire. She was right, friends fight at times. I care about her. I always have. Always will. But Rage...she just...'Affection shook her head in frustration. 'She just grabbed me from nowhere, and just pushed all her essence into me. I wanted so hard not to be angry, to believe that Starfire had Raven's best interest at heart. But, the thought of Starfire being sneaky, and hiding things for us. It just really hurt.'

'It's not your fault. These things happen. It's a natural human behaviour. A logical reaction to a painful revelation,' said Knowledge.

'No, Knowledge,' countered Affection. 'Not to me it doesn't. It _is_ my fault. I've been stretching myself too thinly lately. Things have been moving so fast...much faster than I anticipated with Beastboy. I can't block his emotions out. I feel so strongly what he feels, and it emboldens me, gives me the strength to respond with as much passion. I can't contain it inside much longer. It's starting to push beyond my emotional capabilities. It left me weak in other aspects. Rage shouldn't have gotten a hold on me like that. My depth of feelings for Starfire is vast. How else did I say yes to the _land'ha_? I should have been able to let that feeling flow to Raven, making her less confrontational towards Starfire. Tell me you didn't feel a block when getting through to Raven. That you couldn't tell Raven, this was common sense. She knew what she was getting into. Tamaran is a dangerous place. She knows that. Yet, she chose to ignore that and snapped at Starfire, who incidentally, isn't responsible for the attack.'

Wisdom and Knowledge cast a quick glance at each other, knowing that Affection had brought forward a valid point. Somehow, Rage's power had kept them from getting that detail to Raven's consciousness. 'That's true,' said Knowledge. 'I know now that Starfire is right. Logic dictates that only someone powerful and influential could have convinced those assassins to come after us. Interruption in the _land'ha_ is punishable by death.' She got up quickly, and smoothened her yellow cape. Turning to Affection and Wisdom, she said, 'This issue requires further investigation. I will run through the conversation Raven had with Starfire. Maybe I can get a clue from what she's said so far.' Wisdom nodded in agreement, 'Starfire will need Raven to continue supporting her, even after this trial is over.' Knowledge nodded her head, and in a whirl of her cloak, disappeared.

Wisdom now focused her attention on Affection. 'How are you feeling?'

'Rage tapped into my inner passion. It was a double edged sword though. It helped her latch onto Happy, but it also gave me the strength to fight back and push her out.'

'Actually,' Wisdom interrupted, 'I was talking about something else. You mentioned being stretched too thin?'

'Ah.' A smile ghosted across Affections lips. 'While my feelings for the Titans hasn't diminished, I'm unashamed to say that a lot of my attention has been focusing on Gar.' Affection turned to Wisdom, 'I notice _everything_ about him. I melt a little when I see that fang poke out. I want to bubble with laughter when he tries tickling me. I can't get over how sincere and sensitive he's been towards me. When he holds my hand after dates, I don't ever want him to let go. When he grazes his leg against mine during movie nights, I respond by rubbing my own against his.' Affection started gesturing animatedly as she continued, 'I wept alongside Timid when he spoke of his past, I bleed anytime he's injured in battle. I comfort him when I feel any guilt or sadness from him. I enjoy feeling his purr vibrate through my entire core when Raven runs her fingers through his hair.'

Wisdom raised an inquisitive eyebrow as there was a sudden shift in Affections flow of thought. 'And I adore how warm his lips feel against mine, or when he's trying to be a gentleman, but his hands sometimes slip a little low, how his fingers caress against my arms...or my hips. How irresistible his body feels when I touch him.' It took everything for Wisdom not to let her eyebrows shot up as Affection continued in a husky voice, 'I don't fight when he pulls me close, just so I can feel his body near mine, feel his hot breath on my neck...let his beastly emotions fuel my own demonic passion. These feeling Raven has...I have...starts at the pit of my stomach, and every day it grows. I can't control it...I don't want to. At times, I feel like it's this spark simmering right below, and any day it will burst into flames and scorch me inside out. I wouldn't bother fighting it, because I would _enjoy_ it with every fibre of my being.'

Affection took a deep breath, composing herself. 'I'm spending so much energy focusing on him, I'm not paying attention to the others. And that's not entirely fair.'

'Don't worry,' Wisdom said, 'I understand your dilemma. You're starting to feel overwhelmed. But that's exactly what the Orb is there for.' Affection perked to attention. 'Feed It this particular flow of emotion. Allow it to absorb your energy, and help with Its development. I think you'll be really pleased with how far It's been coming along.'

'You're right,' Affection agreed. 'Let me have a meditation session with It. Who has it now?'

'Rage.'

'What? Why? Aren't you afraid she might manipulate It?'

'I suspect she will, Affection. But nobody contains as much Passion and Desire as Rage. If we want the Orb to become fully developed, we all need to pool our resources.'

Affection was silent. 'What about Starfire? What do we do to make Raven become calm again?'

'Only one thing, although you'll need to continue pushing Raven down the correct train of thought as will Knowledge and I.'

'And what's this one thing?' inquired Affection.

'Time.'

Affection didn't reply. Wisdom took the opportunity to take her leave. Just before she teleported away, she stopped and said as nonchalantly as possible. 'It's quite interesting really...'

Affection looked at her puzzled. 'What is?'

'You never said Raven felt. You kept saying _**I felt**_.'

TTTTTTTTTTT

Raven and Starfire continued the last leg of the journey to Yavnor in uncomfortable silence. They only spoke a handful of words with each other. Eating, sleeping, flying...they both simply went through the motions, no longer having any conversation. Starfire wisely chose not to bring up the attack anymore, but it pained her more than the burn on her chest to be so civil and detached from Raven. She cursed herself for wrongly assuming what her friend might feel as opposed to how she really felt.

It was with quiet relief when they finally landed on the ninth day of their journey at the base of Yavnor. Raven shielded her eyes from both the suns' light as she gazed up trying to see the peak. But given the sheer height, all she could see was the clouds that obscured her line of sight.

Dropping her pack, she massaged the area where the straps had been digging into her skin. A moan of pleasure escaped her lips as she worked out the tightly knotted muscles on her neck and shoulders. She looked to see Starfire had already dropped her pack, and looking around the base. She walked over and crouched down next to Starfire. The alien princess took out a small device the size of a pen, and pressed a button before pushing it into the dirt. Instantly, a holographic screen with Tamaranian writing opened in front of them. Pointing out their location on a digital map of the mountain, Starfire began explaining.

'This is our current location. Yavnor is approximately,' she made a mental conversion, '48,397 Earth feet in height. We are here,' she indicated a blinking red light. 'Near the bottom of the mountain. The base where the metal I need to collect is here, about 19,241ft. There's a cave that my great-grandfather Guriand'r discovered. A particularly thick vein of this metal runs all the way through to the peak of the mountain. This part is extremely dangerous. Yavnor is very temperamental, and is notorious for releasing poisonous gas that's harmful to all surrounding life forms. That's why the forest's edge encircling Yavnor starts back there,' Starfire pointed a good 3 miles behind them.

Suddenly, a gentle rumble shook the screen. Both girls looks around in surprise. Pressing a few buttons on the screen, Starfire studied the tectonic activity, along with a vertical image of Yavnor's interior.

'Is everything alright?' asked Raven.

'I'm not sure,' Starfire said, scrutinizing the screen. 'You see this line? Right where the cave is supposed to end?' Raven nodded. 'I've studied previous maps of Yavnor. I do not ever recall seeing that.' She pointed to a dark line that ran down through to the depth of the mountain.

'Could it have been caused recently?'

'I highly doubt that. Such type of tectonic activity is simply unheard of, unless...'

Raven waited impatiently as Starfire staring typing commands on the screen. Suddenly, highly detailed maps of Yavnor from a bird's eye view popped open. Starfire zoomed into a section of Yavnor they were on. 'These pictures were taken by our satellites a few weeks ago. Do you see anything unusual?'

Looking closely Raven saw a peculiar shaped shadow. It seemed to have been near by to where they were both crouching right now. 'What's that?' she asked pointing to it.

Starfire had a good look. 'It seems like a Tamaranian flying ship.'

'What's it doing so far? Near Yavnor? Do people usually come here? Do they climb Yavnor?'

'Nau,' said Starfire. 'We do not find climbing an enjoyable recreational activity, especially since we can fly. There would be no need for it.'

'Save those images. Take it to Galfore. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with our attacks, but if there's anything out of the ordinary taking place, then we should be on our guard.'

Suddenly, another rumble shook the ground. Starfire stood up, and looked around intently. 'Raven,' she said, 'I believe we must continue with haste. It has been a long time since Yavnor has sought to speak, but I would rather not be here if He chose to open His mouth now, would you not agree?'

For the first time in a few days, Raven smirked. 'If you're saying let's get your shit, and get the hell out of here,' she stood up too. 'Then by all means, let's get moving.' Starfire couldn't help but smile at the comment. It was so...like Raven. Turning off the screen, she took out two unusual looking, oval-shaped nasal apparatuses. Handing one to Raven, she said, 'We will need these. It is hard to breathe up there, especially for you. It will help you acclimatize so you will not feel ill. It will also protect you from any of the poisonous gas that may leak out.'

Nodding her head, she clipped on the apparatus to her nose. It felt unusual, but she ignored the discomfort it caused. Strapping on her bag pack she flew up with Starfire towards the clouds shrouding Yavnor's peak, glad that now they were getting close to their goal. Upon reaching the cave, Starfire once more turned on the screen. Another strong tremor shook the mountain, and a few sizable rocks fell down. Raven was beginning to feel an uneasy sensation. They hadn't felt a tremor since they began the journey, and now within minutes of arriving, they had already felt several, with each being slightly more pronounced than the last. It didn't seem to bother Starfire, who had once again removed the hologram device and handed it to Raven. The red blinking dot had now separated into two, one flashing green, the other purple.

Putting her pack down Starfire said, 'Raven, only the heir-apparent can enter Yavnor, as decreed by the laws of _land'ha_. I must complete this part by myself, or I will not be worthy of the crown this metal will help shape.'

Concern flooded through Raven. 'Are you sure? You're not taking anything with you. Will you be alright?'

Starfire stilled a moment, her green eyes looking deep into Raven's. A true smile graced her features as she placed her hands on Raven's shoulders. Raven's eyes never once wavered from her own, and Starfire realized at this moment, how greatly indebted she was to her. 'I am deeply touched with your concern Raven. It gladdens me to know you are by my side, and that you're face is the first I shall see when I find the metal deposit.'

Raven grasped Starfire's wrists and gave a reassuring squeeze. She couldn't let Starfire go without saying what she was wrestling with inside, ever since their fight. 'Starfire, I know I don't say this much, but...I'm sorry.'

A surprised Starfire gripped her shoulders a little too tight. Ignoring the pain Raven continued, 'I over-reacted, never thinking how you must be feeling. I was being selfish. I forgot how important this was to you. You're my best friend, my sister. Nothing in this universe will change that. No matter what happens, I realize now how important you are to me. I promise you that we will finish this _land'ha_ and find whoever is trying to stop us from accomplishing that goal.'

Starfire's eyes shone with unshed tears. 'Raven, you have no idea how much this means to me. I thank you whole heartedly. You have truly proven your loyalty and affection. I will never forget this.' Raven let go of her pride and hugged the astonished princess. Pulling back quickly she said, 'Go. I'll be waiting here for you.' Starfire smiled. Turning towards the entrance of the cave, she threw a cheerful wave at Raven before lighting up a starbolt and entered the cavernous depth of Yavnor. Raven watched on as the green light became smaller and smaller, until at least, the murky depths of Yavnor completely swallowed up any trace of Starfire. Raven picked up the holograph screen, watching with trepidation as the moving green light gave her the only indication that her friend was still alive and well inside the cave.

Raven wasn't sure how long before Starfire would collect the metal, so keeping the map and tracker on, she sat down and decided to get a proper look at her surroundings. She could barely see the surface of Tamaran as the clouds encircling Yavnor was thick. It blew and swirled all around, so one second everything was clear, and the next Raven would barely be able to make out the shape of her hand.

Once again, she found herself comparing this alien environment with that of Earth. Raven was never a big fan of flying through the clouds. It left her with a wet uniform and feeling chilled to her bones. Beastboy, on the other hand, would weave and duck merrily through the swirling masses. He looked so funny when he was done, trying to shake his ruffled feathers into shape. She warned him, saying he'd catch a cold, but he happily ignored her.

'_You always say that Rae, but I've been doing this since like, forever, and look! I'm still as healthy and devastatingly handsome as ever,' Beastboy said waggling his eyebrows. Raven rolled her eyes, taking another long sip of her herbal tea. She leaned back on the coach ignoring her boyfriend's pleas to join him. She cringed inwardly when she felt his emotions shift. _

'_Oh crap-on-a-stick,' said Courage. 'He's going to do the dying puppy dog look, or abandoned kitten stare! Quick, evasive techniques! NOW!_

'_Come on Rae,' he pleaded once more, shifting close to her. 'Today's the perfect day. Hot summer sun, just a few nice chunky clouds. It'll cool us down. I know a great spot we can rest. Try it with me. You'll see, it's wicked fun! Don't make me beg...'He nudged her crossed legs with his knee._

'_Hmmm...'she said. It was time to begin her distraction routine. Taking a page out of Starfire's book, she purposefully leaned across Beastboy, placing the cup to his side. Even when Beastboy moved back to give her space, she responded by leaning her torso heavily on his chest. Still pressed close to him, she delicately pulled back her hair to expose her neck, giving him a nice view of the v-cut down her leotard. Judging by the way his nostril flared and his eye twitched, she was doing Starfire's teachings justice. _

'_I don't know Gar,' she said, rolling his name off her tongue. Beastboy licked his lips nervously, not sure what his girlfriend was trying to do to him. She placed a hand on his abdomen to push herself off him slightly. She slowly caressed his chest. 'I'm not sure if you really want that. I mean, can you imagine me completely soaked...leotard clinging to every inch of my wet, sweaty body?'_

'_Oh wow,' Happy said impressed. She slapped both Courage and Affection simultaneously on the back. 'Good one.' _

'_Why thank you,' grinned Courage. 'We try.' _

_Beastboy was too busy thinking of what Raven said. 'Oh my God. Flying through clouds equals a rain-soaked Raven. Sweet Jesus, why have I never thought of this before?' Gathering his senses, he jumped up, almost catapulting Raven off the coach. _

'_Fantastic idea Raven. Glad you agree. I'll see you on the roof in 15 minutes. Wear something cool and summery. It's really...' he looked up Raven from her shapely legs to her low cut leotard, '...really hot out there.' Leaping over the coach he ran out of the common room. Raven sat blinking at his retreating form, and still remained seated after he left. There was complete silence in her mind, until finally Rude spoke up. 'Wait...what happened?' _

_15 minutes later, dressed in a fitting summer vest and shorts, Raven was still asking herself that question. Sighing in defeat, she went to the roof to find Beastboy already morphed as a bird and ready. Squawking at her impatiently, he jumped off, leading the way. Raven gazed up into the blazing summer sun, and with a last breath, flew off to join him. Picking up speed, she tried catching up, but each time she came close, he darted up or down. At first, Raven didn't understand, but realizing she didn't care, she gave chase. _

_For minutes, they flew side by side, darting, weaving, and dodging high above Jump City. Raven lost count of the number of times she lost track of him in the thick clouds, but after a bird's resounding cry she'd be right next to him. Raven closed her eyes, the wind buffeting her body, miniscule rain drops hitting her face and clothes. She flew blindly letting her other senses adjust to the change. She almost always flew only to catch villains, or cover large distances quickly, but she couldn't recall the last time she fly simply because she could. And now, high above in the heavens, enclosed snugly by thick summer clouds, she had never felt so liberated...so __**alive**__ before. Now she understood why Beastboy sometimes chose to leave behind the Earth, and find peace soaring in the sky. _

_A resounding cry from Beastboy brought her attention to him. She opened her eyes, watched him hover over for a second before plummeting down to the ground. High up in the clouds, she hadn't realized how far away from Titan's Tower, or even Jump City they had flown. Beastboy's acute senses had led them not too far from Jump City to the neighbouring forest reserve that stretched for miles and miles across. Beastboy circled wide before coming close to a cliff that overlooked the edge of the city. Titan's Tower could not be seen anywhere close by, so this must have been a spot he discovered when he fly by himself. He alighted at the edge of the cliff. True to form, he shook his wet ruffled feathers, squawking at Raven as she too landed beside him. He nibbled affectionately at her fingers as she pet him delicately. _

_She turned around taking a deep breath of the forest around her. The tell-tale sound of Beastboy morphing back into shape was followed by a cry of indignation. 'Hey! How come you didn't get wet?' Raven smirked. Tossing her hair over her shoulders she said triumphantly, 'Nothing a simple hydrophobic spell won't take care of.' She turned around, and the smirk dropped from her face. _

_Happy let out a long drawn squeal. _

_Beastboy had one hand on his hip. The other raked absently through his damp hair. The summer weather made him decide on wearing nothing but a pair of brown shorts. While the clouds hadn't necessarily drenched him, he entire torso and legs were speckled with raindrops. _

'_And that mental snapshot,' said Rude, 'is one for the scrap book.' _

_Beastboy grumbled about a plan gone all wrong before flopping down on a shady patch of grass. Patting the ground beside him, he beckoned Raven to join him. Raven hesitated just a little. While she and Beastboy had been slowly becoming bold in their intimate sessions alone, she hadn't actually seen him topless, save for that one time at the pool. His looked at her frowning. _

'_Rae...babe?' he called questioningly. _

_Beastboy. What a deceptive name. There was nothing boyish about him at this moment. _

_Raven moved close and sat down beside him. Beastboy wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her near to him. Raven had no choice but to be held close to his chest. She stiffened a little, her hands adjusting to the warmth of skin and hard muscles that she usually only felt through a uniform. She sat still for a few minutes, not wanting to seem too eager, but not wanting to push him away either out of fear of hurting his feelings. But then, she felt his hand making lazy circles on her back, kneading her tight muscles. _

_Raven decided at that moment to let go of some more inhibitions. Picking off his boldness, she decided to do some exploring of her own. She let her hands travel once more on his bare chest. Her slender fingers caressed his bare torso gently, feeling the skin pulled taut over rippling chest muscles, heavily defined abs, and broad, thick-set shoulders. _

'_Rae...' came a soft, pleading moan. _

_Raven ignored it. She shifted her body, and left slow, deliberate kisses up his chest. Another moan, and she looked up to watch him lay down completely on the grass. He pulled her towards him, and Raven took the opportunity to stretch her luscious body on top of his. Right now, she was deep in the clutches of Affection's power. She lay easily on his broad, muscled frame. Running her hands on his sides, she registered the needy pawing on his hands as they clutched at her smooth back. Pushing herself further up his body, she nibbled along his neck, feeling his pulse quicken under her lips. By the time she reached his mouth, he was fidgeting uncontrollably. _

_Between her own emotions and his projected feelings, Raven couldn't see an end anywhere near. That was, until she felt him grasp her around the shoulders. With a quick, deft motion, Beastboy flipped them over. Raven placed her hands on his chest, feeling the deep reverberation of his pleasure growls. While Raven didn't observe any physical change, Beastboy's eyes had a hungry look. His lips pulled back, revealing a sharp fang. _

_Suddenly, Raven felt a wave of apprehension. This was going a lot faster than she imagined. All the while she had been in control, she hadn't minded their current position, but the tell-tale bulge that rubbed against her thigh made her acutely aware of what they were doing. _

'_Gar,' she breathed, her fingernails digging into his chest. '**Wait...**' _

_As soon as Beastboy heard the words, he could smell the light scent of fear from Raven. It took a second for lucidity to pierce through the lusty haze of his mind. Looking down at the hesitation and uncertainty in Raven's eyes, he realized to his horror how close he had been to forcing himself onto her. The feral flame inside of him died immediately and he couldn't get off her fast enough. He crouched at her feet, hoping he'd hide the tautness of his shorts. _

'_I'm sorry Rae, I...I didn't mean to.' _

'_No,' Raven breathed heavily. She sat up, fixing her hair ,and pulling down her top which had ridden up considerably. 'I started it. I shouldn't have lead you on. I know we've been dating for a few months now. But, I'm still not ready. At least,' she added shyly, ' not yet.' _

'_Sorry Rae. Just...give me a sec. I'll be right back.' Beastboy got up suddenly, as if not hearing her words. Angling his hips expertly so she wouldn't see him at attention, he ran off into woods. Raven watched, flabbergasted. She didn't say anything as she wordlessly brought her knees to her chest. It was close to evening and the summer heat was starting to subside. Wrapping her arms around herself, she sat looking blankly towards the horizon. In her mind though, a raging battle of words ensued, as all her Emotions debated loudly to find an explanation for Beastboy's sudden disappearance. _

_After a short while, Beastboy returned. He had a sheepish expression on his face, as he pulled out a few leaves from his hair. Brushing himself off he sat down close to Raven. With a gentle hand, he delicately pulled her hair back and tucked the strand behind her ear. _

'_Rae, I'm so embarrassed. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to run off like that.' _

_Raven held his hand. 'You alright?' she asked with genuine concern. She didn't want to jump to conclusions. Spending all these months in his company made her realize that perhaps it was somehow connected with his animal instincts. His aura was saturated with guilt whenever he came back. This time was no different, so she waited patiently for his explanation._

'_We were getting close...and intimate...and then you kissed me on the chest and neck like that...it felt so good ,and I wanted...more. I shouldn't have jumped on top of you like that. I'm sorry, babe. Really. I know you wanted to take things slow. But I couldn't help myself. You tasted and smelled irresistible.' His ears drooped dejectedly. He looked at her and said with the utmost sincerity, 'I promise, I'll be more in control the next time. You know I would __**never**__ take advantage of you.' _

'_It's alright Gar. I get it. It's sometimes hard to fight your animal urges.' Raven held his large, rough hands in her slender, soft ones. 'I understand. It's who you are. And I care about you. This is just a small problem. I'm sure with time, and more practice you'll be able to control those feelings.' _

_He flashed her the charming toothy grin she loved. Getting up, he went around behind her. Upon sitting down, he put his muscled legs carefully around her before tugging her gently towards him. Obligingly, Raven scooted back and leaned her back against his bare chest, letting her head fall back onto his shoulder. Giving a light peck on her chakra jewel, he wrapped her in a warm embrace. _

_They sat like that in silence, watching the sun dip slowly beyond the horizon. A soft neon glow emitted from Jump City as dusk approached. Raven sensed a nagging afterthought in Gar. She ignored it for a while, until later in the evening. _

'_Is there something else you wanted to ask me?' she said, nudging him in the ribs gently. _

_Beastboy's brow furrowed. 'How'd you...right. Duh. Empath for a girlfriend. Gonna have to get used to that one.' _

'_Well?' _

'_You're not nervous...cause,' he swallowed, 'I'm green, is it?' _

_Raven shifted around to get a good look at Beastboy. The question had caught her completely unprepared. 'Excuse me?' _

'_You're not freaked out by the colour of my skin are you?' he asked, a hint of worry lacing his question. 'I mean if that's what's really bothering you, I could wear a hologram ring, or...I don't know, maybe see if I can...mmmmph!' His words were cut off as Raven gave him the most heartfelt and caring kiss she could muster up. _

_After she released him, he managed a throaty 'wow'. _

'_Garfield Mark Logan.' Using his full name got his attention. 'Do not for one second think I'm afraid to take the next step with you because of the way you look. I would not have been with you if I found it a turn off. I adore the colour of your skin. It's who you are. And it's one of the things I find attractive.' Looking at him sternly she continued, 'Do you find my grey skin and purple hair hard to accept?' _

'_Never' he said replied instantly. _

'_I rest my case.' She turned around, and leaned her back comfortably against his chest, snuggling once more into his arms. 'And if I find your green skin and elfish ears disarmingly sexy, then Azar damn it all Garfield, you are sexy! ' _

_Only after the words left her mouth did the magnitude of what Raven said hit her. A deep blush started creeping up her cheeks as her entire face flamed red. She didn't dare turn around to look at his expression._'_What?' she said a little too defensively when she felt his body shake in silent mirth._

'_Babe,' Beastboy said nuzzling her neck affectionately, 'that's the hottest thing any girl has ever said to me'. _

Suddenly the clouds swirled completely away from Yavnor, and Raven's attention was diverted to the large expanse of Tamaran that stretched miles before her. She quickly checked the monitor to find the green light blinking to indicate Starfire's current position. Suddenly, a tremor far worse than what she had ever felt rocked the ground under her feet. Hearing a rumble from above, Raven looked up in time to see large boulders break free and start falling with alarming accuracy towards her. Reacting instinctively, she threw powerful energy balls, trying to keep up with the falling debris. Just when she thought she was safe, a massive stone thundered down towards her. Knowing, there was no way for her to demolish that, Raven somersaulted agilely to the entrance of the cave. With inches to spare she grabbed onto the entrance wall to keep from falling into the cave.

_Why is my vision blurry?_ Raven thought. Looking around her, she realized that it was actually the white fumes deep from Yavnor's belly that finally broke through the surface. She wouldn't have cared too much, if she hadn't noticed the crushed pieces of the nasal apparatus that Starfire had given her. She hands instinctively rushed to her face, but confirmed her fears.

Raven's throat and nose was already starting to burn before she discovered a deadly revelation.

_The poisonous gas!_

* * *

_**Author's Note:** Oh my...another cliff-hanger. How cruel of me... D _

_R&R ya'll!_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Author's Note: **__Thanks for the reviews everybody. Much appreciated! _

_In this chapter, we find out if Raven survived the Land'ha, and the boys continue unravelling more information about the recording. _

_**DISCLAIMER: **__same old, same old...own nothing blah blah word vomit_

* * *

Raven pinched her nose, eyes watering from the burning that seemed to now permeate every inch of her body. Her lungs seemed unable to work on their own accord.

_There's a spare in the bag! _In a moment of clarity she tried a last gambit for survival. Raven's body tumbled painfully onto the ground as she pulled herself to Starfire's bag pack. An excruciating pain in her head caused her vision to swim, and she groaned in response. Rolling on her back, she grabbed her hair and pulled in an effort to ease the pain. Feet kicked the dirt. Teeth ground painfully. Nothing helped.

With great effort, she pulled herself to her knees and made it to the bag. She violently emptied it, and scrambled around the dirt to find the nasal apparatus among the bag's contents. But the burning now felt like a scorching fire under her skin and she cried out in pain. Her powers lashed out. A thick, black tendril of lightning shot up into the sky and a thunderous explosion could be heard. Deep in the throes of pain, Raven could no longer tell if it was only herself who was bucking wildly or whether another huge quake threatened to cover her in an avalanche.

'RAVEN!'

For a split second, Raven saw a blur of red and green. Starfire came to a skidding halt beside her fallen friend. Raven felt her quickly attach something to her face, and Raven sensed the familiar weight of the nasal apparatus. Without hesitation, Starfire grabbed both their bags and scooped up Raven in her arms. A quick leap later, they plummeted more than 19,000 feet to the ground. Seconds before they could reach the bottom, a large falling rock slammed into Starfire's shoulder, missing Raven's face by inches. With a cry, Starfire lost control of her momentum. Miraculously, she didn't lose her presence of mind. Shooting a starbolt into ground, she used the kickback from the impact force to give herself a little more flight. Flipping herself around, she wrapped her body around Raven's, protecting the empath. She clenched her teeth as her back slammed into the ground, absorbing the worst of their crash landing.

Raven tumbled from her arms, her mind clearing painfully slow from the effects of the poisonous fumes. She looked up groggily, still finding it agonizing to move or even breathe. In the meantime, Starfire ignored the dislocated shoulder of the brutal landing, aware they were still not completely out of danger. The latest quake had been the last Yavnor would bear. In a spectacle of its deadly power it unleashed a lethal and unavoidable natural calamity. Right now, both Titans were in the path of an immense rock slide that threatened to overtake and bury them alive. Starfire knew she wouldn't be able to fly fast enough. While her body may have been able to bear the incredible G-force caused by her near-light speed, there was no way Raven could survive it in her current condition.

She had one last option.

She faced the oncoming rock avalanche, steely determination now etched across her beautiful face. With every remaining fibre of her inner fire and determination, she created a thick larger shield of green energy, and braced herself. With a deafening roar, the avalanche reached them, and poured relentlessly, pounding tons of rock and gravel on the warrior princess' shield.

The sheer thunderous crash of the avalanche served as a good distraction for Raven. Groaning, she pushed herself back to her knees, and beheld the sight in front of her. It took her a few seconds to register the magnitude of Starfire's power. She was going head to head with the avalanche, with what seemed to be only one good arm. Raven knew that for years to come, she would always remember this incredible display of the pure raw strength and raw determination Starfire possessed.

Unfortunately, Starfire's power, in her current state, wasn't limitless. Like a glass, the shield was starting to crack, hairline fractures spreading like a spider web in several places. Starfire's face contorted into a grimace. The avalanche didn't seem it would anytime soon, but she was growing weaker and weaker.

_X'Hal...is this how it will end?_

Starfire's insides screamed so much. In pain. In sorrow. In despair. She had failed herself, Raven, Galfore...

_Richard..._

Just when she thought that the severely damaged energy shield would no longer maintain itself, she was startled when the cracks started filling in with black tendrils of Raven's energy. Behind her, Raven crouched on the ground, her dark powers seeping from her fingertips and travelling the short distance, adding itself to the green energy. Her eyes glowed as she stood up and moved to stand beside Starfire. A ghost of a smile crossed Starfire's lips as suddenly the avalanche didn't seem all that daunting any more. Pooling their essence together, both Titans maintained the shield with entwining tendrils of green and black energy.

Neither knew how long they stood there. Seconds. Minutes. Time didn't matter anymore. After a long drawn moment, the avalanche finally subsided. Here and there a few pebbles flew down, but the thick dust ultimately began to settle. Both girls lowered the shield simultaneously. Starfire sank immediately to her knees. Raven collapsed close to her. Both gasped in exhaustion. They were streaked with scars, dirt, and sweat. Raven coughed painfully, noticing Starfire cradling her injured arm. She was alarmed a little when she saw Starfire's latest injury.

'Your shoulder...' Raven rasped, her throat still raw.

Starfire said nothing. Raven dragged herself over. She crouched near the injury, placing one hand on the dislocated shoulder while the other steadied Starfire's back. Starfire shook her head, 'Nau...don't heal me.'

'I wasn't going to.' Raven stabilized herself. 'I'm going to push it back into place. It's going to hurt. A lot.' Starfire nodded weakly. She braced herself.

'On the count of three.' Raven began, '...One.' She suddenly snapped the shoulder back into its socket. Starfire screamed in surprise and pain. Raven sat down with a thump, wiping a streak of dirt away from her face. Starfire shot her a look etched with pure agony, panting to catch her breath. 'I am fairly certain,' she said haltingly, 'that there was a missing two...and three.'

From the depths of Raven's belly, a hysteric al laugh almost bubbled out. Except her raw throat made it sound more like a strangled mix between a cough and a snort. 'Thanks for the lift down,' she managed. Starfire slowly rummaged through their supplies, bringing forth another flask. She sat down heavily beside Raven, still favouring her arm. 'Anytime. Here,' she said passing the flask to Raven. 'Drink this. It will help with healing the tissue damage from the fumes.' Raven threw her head back, drinking the contents without hesitation. Even before she removed the flasks from her lips, she felt a tingling sensation running down her body. Already the rawness in her throat subsided significantly. She was grateful for the potency of the liquid.

'Did you get the metal?' Raven asked wiping her mouth.

Wordlessly, Starfire reached into her bag pack. She pulled out a lump of grey mineral and grinned madly at Raven.

TTTTTTTT

Beastboy and Cyborg sat at the large table in their suite. Cyborg was typing something onto a laptop while Beastboy rummaged through the papers, sorting out the information they had been gathering so far. Their reconnaissance mission was throwing up unnecessary data that would require a few days to sort through. The rough picture it painted, though, still remained somewhat unclear to the both of them. They hoped the detective skills of their leader would shed some light in their investigation.

The main doors opened and Beastboy glanced over his shoulder to see Robin walk in, scribbling madly into a notepad. Without once glancing up, he walked over to Cyborg and took a seat beside him. Making a last few notes, he promptly dropped his pen, and looked at his team mates.

'Okay. What have you guys got so far on these two Council members?'

Beastboy handed over a folder to Robin. 'This is the guy who I found smelling weird. His name is Col'tek. I sat beside him over a couple of meals and found out some info. His father's name is Val'tek. His mother died during childbirth. He's a bit a prodigy, if his tales can be verified.' Beastboy began rattling off a list. 'Mastered over 52 alien languages. Without lip contact. Served in the Imperial Army and fought against the Citadel. Rose up the ranks for valiant action. He was even taken prisoner of war but managed to escape. Came back a hero. He's influential. The ladies seemed to _love _him. Became one of the youngest members of the Ku'ya since like, forever.'

Robin flipped a page in the folder, studying its content. Or rather the lack of much. 'Anything else?'

'Nope,' Beastboy said, shaking his head. 'Sorry dude. I tried. It's really difficult to snoop around here since we don't exactly have unrestricted access. Not to mention the fact I know zero Tamaranian. It's hard to get intel when you can't speak or read jack squat.'

Robin turned to Cyborg. 'What about you Cyborg?'

Cyborg handed another folder to Robin. 'This is the guy that kept enquiring about the package. He's older. Name's Bolkasin. The common factor connecting these two is Val'tek, Col'tek's father. They were both Council members of the Ku'ya before Val'tek stepped down and his position was given with unanimous support to Col'tek. Bolkasin also had a son, who served with the Imperial Air Force. But, his ship was shot down in battle almost 2 years ago in a scrimmage involving the Gordanians. He's presumed dead. Bolkasin is known for being an active supporter of any type of Tamaranian military campaign. And he's one hell of a speaker. Galfore let me sneak into one of the sessions of the Ku'ya to watch, and man I tell ya. When this dude speaks..._everybody _listens. I didn't understand much of what he was saying, but hell, even I got really into it...whatever _it_ was.'

Robin looked up at Cyborg with a qwerked eyebrow. 'Okay,' he drawled. He would have continued if he was distracted by Beastboy. The changeling was suddenly twisted around in his seat, turning his head towards the balcony that opened to the capital city. His nostrils flared as he sniffed loudly several times, his brow furrowing in confusion.

'Um...BB,' Cyborg said, also looking at his distracted teammate. 'What's up? You catch a whiff of something?'

Beastboy sniffed the air several more times. 'I'm not sure. I...' his eyes narrowed in curiosity. He shook his head as if to clear it. Gave his nose a quick rub. 'It's nothing. I'm just getting old scents. Sorry.' He turned back to his team mates. He rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed he'd gotten sidetracked so easily.

Robin drummed the table impatiently with his fingertips. 'Coming back to the main issue...not a bad job guys. But, it's still not enough. I hardly see anything to inform Galfore about. At first glance, it looks like just two normal Tamaranian men. They're acquaintances. It's wouldn't be unusual for them to have dealings outside of the Ku'ya.'

Beastboy, in particular, looked disappointed.

'However,' said Robin, picking up some of papers, 'I would like to have a look at all the data you have gathered so far. You guys haven't finished translating some of extra recordings Beastboy made, right?'

Cyborg nodded.

'Get on that asap. In the meantime,' Robin said, turning to the changeling. 'Beastboy, I think you're onto something when you said Col'tek smelled different.' Beastboy's perked to attention. 'You haven't found the source anywhere near the palace or it's grounds for that scent?' Beastboy shook his head. 'Where ever he made contact with it, it's definitely not from around here.'

'Then I suggest you investigate into it further. We might get more clues from there.'

Robin shifted his attention to Cyborg. 'While Beastboy's figuring that out, I need you to look into another matter. You said Bolkasin was an avid supporter of Tamaranian military campaigns. See if you can find out exactly which ones he's been particularly forceful about. We can check to see exactly where in the galaxy these campaigns took place in. War profiteering is a definite area we should consider. Maybe Bolkasin has some interests that benefit him rather than Tamaran. Perhaps Col'tek wants a slice of the pie. I think that-' Robin was distracted one more as Beastboy suddenly grabbed at his ear, tugging violently. His face contorted as if someone was shouting close to his ear.

'What is it now Beastboy?' Robin's voice was tight with impatience.

'God...' Beastboy winced, clamping both hands on his ears, 'Don't you hear that shrill... _aaaaah!_ What the hell is that?'

Robin and Cyborg shared a concerned look. 'There's no noise Beastboy.'

'I'm telling you, there's something that's going off loudly...like a fog horn!'

Cyborg flipped open a console on his arm. He checked the auditory waves in their surroundings. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he was about to reiterate his previous point when he remembered the greater range of Beastboy's hearing capabilities. Increasing the hertz, his eyes widened in surprise when he did indeed see a continuous spike. 'Hey Rob. Check this out. Grass strain's right. There's something out there.' Robin moved to peer over Cyborg's shoulder. 'Can you identify what that is?'

'It's like a high intensity pitch. Kinda like a dog whistle. But much much stronger.'

'Where's the source?'

'Give me a sec. I'll see if I can pin-point it.' Cyborg pulled a wire from his arm and attached it to his laptop. He was typing furiously when suddenly the signal disappeared. His fingers stilled. 'What happened?' demanded Robin. 'Where's the signal gone?'

'I don't know...I was about to nail the-'

He was startled when Beastboy shot up from his chair, almost sending his seat flying backwards. He was again sniffing the air madly. Shifting into a blood hound, he took several more sniffs. He gave a few sharp, excited barks, and morphed back.

'I know what it is!' he cried excitedly.

TTTTTTTTTT

Raven didn't realize how happy she would be upon seeing the edge of Tamaran's capital city. It had taken a gruelling 2 weeks but she had helped Starfire successfully complete half of the trials. She wasn't alone in her relief as Starfire quickly increased the speed of her flight, making a straight line towards the Imperial palace.

'Almost there Star,' Raven said, barely keeping up with Starfire's speed.

Starfire adjusted the bag on her back. She shot a smile over her shoulder at Raven. 'I am very excited. I cannot wait to see Richard.' She hastily added, 'and Beastboy and Cyborg, and Gal-'

'It's okay,' Raven said, reigning in her own excitement. 'He's going to be ecstatic to see you too.'

The smile on Starfire's face kept growing bigger and bigger as they flew over the city's outer boundaries. It was hard to miss their figures soaring through the sky, and several Tamaranians pointed up towards them. Turning around, but flying expertly backwards, Starfire said, 'I think our presence should be made a bit more,' her eyes gleamed with mischief, 'dramatic.' Raven smirked. 'Why not? What do you have in mind?'

Starfire filled Raven in on her plan as they flew within minutes to the Palace. Then Raven suddenly remembered, 'Starfire, our high pitch diodes. It'll affect Beastboy. Can you turn it off?' Starfire nodded in agreement, flipping a switch on her spear. Flying close to Raven, she reached over and pressed a button on her belt.

'Ready?' asked Starfire.

Raven snorted in response. When wasn't she?

Swooping to the ground, they sent several larger bolts up into the dusk sky. The energy bolts exploded like fireworks, illuminating the slowly darkening sky with flashes of white and green. They continued that for a few minutes, knowing this would get the attention of the entire palace, and most of the surrounding city dwellers. Suddenly shooting up into the sky, they spiralled around each other, leaving behind a bright tendril of white and green.

In the palace courtyard, the Titans, Galfore, and Council members quickly gathered watching the spectacular display of lights. They all watched mesmerized as the white and green spiral extended high into the sky. Suddenly a magnificently large white raven unfolded, opening its mouth in a silent cry. A large ball of green energy burst out, causing one last extravagant explosion that nearly blinded all the spectators.

Beastboy shielded his eyes from the green glare, but the grin on his face extended from ear to ear. Quickly looking back up he watched with giddy excitement as two shapely figures landed gracefully. Galfore let out a resounding 'BUMGORF' and pushed everybody out the way to gather Starfire in an embrace.

Across the distance, Beastboy locked eyes with Raven. Heart beating madly against his chest, he watched her stand behind Starfire, bowing her head respectfully to Galfore. Her amethyst eyes raked the crowd intently. After what seemed an eternity to Beastboy, she finally laid eyes on his green face. His grin grew even wider if possible. The Beast roared in happiness, finally able to catch a scent of his mate among all the strangers. Even though, he noted with concern that her uniform was dirty and there were scars littered across her body, she was a vision. Affection, desire, pride, happiness and so much more swelled inside of him.

Galfore released Starfire, holding her hand and he reached back and pulled Raven forward. Raising both their arms triumphantly into the air, he let out a load roar that permeated to every inch of the courtyard. The spectators alike gave an answering roar. The Imperial guards stamped the ends of their large spears into the dirt showing their respect. Galfore turned to Starfire. He looked at her questioningly. Starfire contained a smile. She thrust her spear into the ground. Taking off her bag, she brought it forward and handed it to Galfore. In his large hands the bag looked tiny. He opened it and looked inside. His eyes darted to Starfire who gave an almost imperceptible nod. He turned around to face the now silent crowd. Reaching into the bag, he triumphantly raised the lump of metal high above his head.

TTTTTTTTTT

'BOO YEA! I knew it! I knew you could do it!' Jabbing a finger at the other Titan boys Cyborg boomed, 'Didn't I say they'd do it? DIDN'T I? Ha _HA!' _

Easily picking up both Starfire and Raven in each arm he twirled them around. 'I knew you'd be fine. But these two,' he said gesturing towards Beastboy and Robin, 'Bunch of sissies. Moping about. Pretending not to care. I swear I found Robin the other day, sniffling on the balcony with a box of tissues.'

'I did not!' Robin cried scandalised. 'Your faulty cybernetic eye confused me with Beastboy'

'Hey!' came another cry of indignation. Beastboy had wasted no time in embracing Raven after Cyborg released her. He growled at the Robin and Cyborg. Turning to the empath in his arms he said, 'Really babe. I didn't. I mean I was worried an' all, but I wasn't sobbing like an idiot.' Raven just pat his chest reassuringly. 'I believe you.'

Starfire laughed. Flying over to Cyborg she pulled his head down and placed a kiss on his cheek. Cyborg's cybernetic eye focused and refocused several times. An embarrassed expression crossed his face, and he mumbled under his breath, twiddling his thumbs. 'Come,' she said beckoning Robin, ignoring the embarrassed Titan. 'I am feeling very tired. It has been a difficult few days. I hope you are not offended if I retire early for the night?'

Beastboy waved off the alien princess. 'Totally understand. You and Raven must be bushed. I'll have Galfore send some food up to you.' Starfire nodded. Still holding hands with Robin she walked to their room. The door closed behind them and the resounding click of the lock could be heard.

'Well,' said Cyborg, crinkling his nose. 'Guess somebody's gonna get some tonight, right-' Turning around he found Beastboy and Raven already in the middle of a passionate kiss. Cyborg's mouth twisted in mock disgust. 'Bleh, fine. I know when I'm not wanted. I'll go find something to do.' He walked by the two, but not before clicking a few buttons on his arm. Suddenly, the sorrowful tone of Eric Carmen crooning '_All By Myself'_ trailed after him as he left the common room.

Beastboy was too busy with Raven to care. His mouth pounced hungrily onto her lips. Hands ran all over her. Raven's arms tightened around his neck, her fingers running through his hair. A tiny moan here, a throaty gasp there. Beastboy finally detached his lips and started nibbling along her jaw line. She stretched her neck, giving him more access. He would have continued had his hands not rubbed against the cuts on her back. Raven hissed a little in pain, and he immediately pulled back slightly. 'Rae...you're hurt!'

'It's nothing,' she said, arms still circled around his neck. She smiled reassuringly. But the frown on his face didn't disappear. 'Maybe, I should let you rest. Heal a little. We can always talk tomorrow morning.' She shook her head. Her hands cupped his face, and his gaze softened a little. 'I'll tell you what. Give me an hour. I'll take a shower. Change.' _Heal the other scars you didn't notice_. 'I'll come to you later.'

'You sure? You had a pretty tough few days. You don't have to.'

She kissed him lightly on the lips. She breath ticked his ear as she leaned in to whisper.

'I want to.'

A purr escaped his throat before he could even control it. Beastboy released her from his embrace, and she walked around him, an arm lingered to caress him across the ribs as she headed towards her room. His eyes never left her form as she bent at the hip to pick up her swords before walking away. Even in her present exhausted state, she still managed to stir Beast into a frenzy. He licked his lips, her taste still lingering from their kiss.

For the next hour he waited in his room restlessly. Hoping to pass the time by, he removed his journal from his bag, and settled down on the bed to write. He had kept it reluctantly at first. It had been Steve's idea, insisting it was therapeutic to write down his feelings and thoughts. Beastboy had found it more of a chore than a pleasurable activity. He had been quite inconsistent with it, sometimes passing by months before making any entry. But as the years went by, he found himself turning more and more frequently to it. He never considered himself a writer, but with time, the flow of thoughts, emotions, and revelations became easier to pass down from pen to paper. It helped him to sort through his inner feelings, his struggle with controlling his Beastly urges, his hopes, his dreams. He pondered whether he would ever share the journal's contents with Raven, but thought the better of it. The last thing he wanted was to scare her off with the intimate and graphic thoughts he had of her.

Upon finishing, he packed it carefully away. He went through his nightly ritual of getting ready for bed, and was pulling a t-shirt above his head when he heard a soft knock. He opened the door letting Raven, who was dressed in pyjama bottoms and a loose top, slip quietly in. He grabbed her wrist, and before she could turn around, picked her up easily in his arms. She automatically put an arm around his neck. He rubbed his nose against hers lovingly, bringing her to his bed. He lay her down gently, allowing her to slide over, giving him enough space to slip under the blankets. He settled down comfortably before pulling her close.

'I can't stay the night,' she murmured softly. 'You know that.' Even as she said those words, she found her hands already slipping on their own accord under his shirt, stroking the skin underneath. Seeking the warmth it provided. Since their adventure through the clouds a few months back, Beastboy discovered, to his private delight, that in the heated moments stolen from their hectic schedule, the top half of his uniform would somehow always end up discarded on Raven's bedroom floor.

'I know,' he reassured her. He gingerly put his hand on her back, a hesitant look on his face. 'Don't worry, I healed it all.' Raven snuggled to his chest, her cheek resting comfortably on the crook of his neck. She spent the next hour detailing everything from the _land'ha_. She guessed correctly when he didn't take too well to the ambush, but he listened intently as she related all the events including the near fatal avalanche. In return she heard everything about what he had discovered, and how the investigation was coming along. She digested his words silently.

Beastboy brought her attention back. 'Babe, I'm so impressed,' he said. 'I can't believe it! You and Starfire are doing an awesome job. You should be proud.'

She hummed thoughtfully. 'I guess so. Haven't really had time to think of it like that.'

'I'm not surprised. The two of you make one hell of a team. I wouldn't want to take the both of you on.' He gave her a cheeky grin, 'Not on the battlefield at least.'

She elbowed him in the ribs.

'Ouch. Not nice babe.'

'Get your thoughts out of the gutter then.'

'Can't help it. When I'm with you, I pretty much toss my mind there with both hands.'

'Cold showers were invented for a reason Gar.'

'Nah, that's what I swim in the ocean for.'

'Right, I think that's my cue to leave.' Raven turned around to get up. In a flash Beastboy grabbed her waist and pulled her back on top of him. 'Okay...okay, I'm sorry...well no, I lie, I'm not. But I promise...no more innuendo.'

'Fine,' she said, she wiggled trying to get out of his clutches. He only tightened his grip on her. She twisted her neck to look over her shoulder at him. 'I really need to go. I need to sleep Gar.'

'Just a few more minutes,' he pleaded. His breath was hot against her ear, and Raven could feel the familiar heat simmering in her stomach. It didn't help that Beastboy used one arm to cushion her head, the other tenderly running across her hips. 'Gar...'she said softly, her voice faltering.

'I promise,' he breathed, his hand stilling their ministrations momentarily. 'Just lie here with me. Nothing more.' He kissed her neck. Then he said something that dissolved her resolve. 'I missed you Rae...'

_Azar damn it. _

Beastboy wrapped his body around hers. Raven pulled the blanket to cover them both. 'Just 5 minutes.' Beastboy mumbled a consent. Raven sighed. When did he get so much power over her? As she lay in the darkness, Beastboy's steady breathing served to slowly relax her, and against her better judgement, Raven found herself drifting off to sleep.

TTTTTTTT

Beastboy awoke as an alarm shrilled loudly near his head. He groaned, burying his face into the pillow. Why wasn't Raven turning it off? Eyes still closed he reached across the bed. But the only thing he felt was cold emptiness. Waking up a bit more, he raised his head. He was alone.

Frowning, he rolled over to turn off the alarm. As his fingers groped for the alarm, his hand brushed against a note that fell to the floor. Curious, Beastboy looked over the side, and picked it up. It was written in the neat cursive of Raven's handwriting.

**Good Morning Garfield.**

**Join me for breakfast?**

**There's tofu bacon or Lucky Charms. Or Both**

**Your choice.**

Beastboy smiled. Breakfast sounded fantastic. He got up, about to walk over to the bathroom before his eyes fell on something on the ground. His eyes dropped down to his chest confirm what he saw. He couldn't help but chuckle in amusement. His t-shirt lay crumpled on the floor.

TTTTTTT

Beastboy came out to join the rest of the team at the table in the common room. Cyborg, Robin and Raven had pooled their stash of earth food and made a big breakfast. Crinkling his nose at the smell of frying bacon strips, he took a seat beside Raven. She continued eating her tofu bacon nonchalantly as Beastboy helped himself to breakfast. Leaning over, he said slyly, 'Nice move.' Without even looking at him, she deadpanned, 'No idea what you're talking about.'

Beastboy rolled his eyes, but the roguish grin didn't leave his face. He was about to make a quip about magic fingers when Starfire interrupted. 'Robin has informed me that you have been conducting a covert operation. You have been investigating two Ku'ya members?'

Cyborg nodded. He swallowed the food in his mouth before replying. 'That's right. BB here overheard a rather interesting conversation that caught all our interest. I made a rough translation but you can have a shot at it too. Make sure nothing's lost in between.' He passed her a pen drive.

Starfire took it. 'Did you inform Galfore?' she asked quietly.

Beastboy shook his head. 'No. We thought it would be best to let you know first. We're sorry we've added something else to your plate, but if this has anything to do with the guys who ambushed you, then you should let him know.'

Cyborg's spoon stilled. 'Ambush? What ambush?' He looked at both female Titans. 'You got ambushed?'

Beastboy continued, ignoring the probing questions of his friend. 'We suspect it could be something related to war profiteering. But, we haven't confirmed it.'

'Yes. I am aware of that theory. Robin has informed me about your suspicions and what you have discovered. Personally though, I find it difficult to comprehend. I knew of Bolkasin since I was a child. He is one of the most patriotic Tamaranians on the face of this planet. This would be a bold accusation you are making. Col'tek too has many supporters. He is already wealthy and influential. I do not see why he would be involved in war profiteering either. And both are current member of the Ku'ya. Any unproven allegations would not be appreciated by the Council.'

'I get that,' Beastboy said, 'but your and Raven's safety is our main concern. If either is involved in sabotaging your _land'ha_ then I think you should seriously reconsider your decision to not inform Galfore.'

Starfire looked at the changeling, an unreadable expression on her face. At length she said, 'I will consider what you have said.' Her tone left no more room for discussion. Beastboy frowned but didn't say anything. An uncomfortable silence settled onto the table. Sensing the tension, Robin asked loudly, 'So, you guys complete the last part of the _land'ha _in a week's time right? What are you up against now?'

Starfire grabbed at the opportunity for a distraction. 'This is where our weapons training will come into use. We will be taken to an outer sanctuary 2 days journey from the capital city by ship. This sanctuary serves a dual purpose. This sanctuary functions as an arena, so along with the members of the Ku'ya, the 3 of you shall be allowed to watch. It also operates as an artificial habitation. It is quite big actually. 8 times the size of Jump City. The real challenge is contained within the sanctuary. There is an animal caught and enclosed there solely for the purpose of this _land'ha_. It is called the _Ghulyalok. _I have never had the misfortune to see one in my life. Indeed very few Tamaranians have ever seen one face to face since there are hardly any_ ghulyaloks _now. Legend states that before the time of X'hal, these beasts roamed the face of this planet. They have no desire save to eat and procreate, and they decimated everything in their path. Civilizations perished and a darkness spread across the planet. It is said X'hal took pity when the spirit of Tamaran called out to Her, begging to be saved from the ravaging _ghulyalok. _She cast Her Light onto the planet's surface, blinding the _ghulyalok_, thereby giving its enemies an advantage. Slowly, as these savage beast were pushed back, life reappeared on the planet. Millenniums passed. Civilizations rose and fell, and the story of the _ghulyalok _passed out of fact and into myth.'

Save for Raven, who had heard the tale, the rest of the Titans listened intently as Starfire continued. 'Whether or not we face an actual _ghulyalok_ I cannot say. The Imperial Scribes are forbidden from including their descriptions when making the official records. But what I do know from the chronicles of my ancestors is that whatever the creature is, its behaviour is akin to the bees of bumble. There will be worker _ghulyaloks_ that serve to feed and protect the Mother. We must get past these _ghulaloks_ and venture into the heart of the sanctuary where the Mother nests. Our task is to extract one of the eggs of the Mother and escape before we are detected.'

'You make it sound like it's no big deal,' said Cyborg.

'I wish it was an easy task, but this is where the real danger lies. According to my grandfather's records, he was not supposed to complete the _land'ha_. But he had no choice, because his elder brother had died in the sanctuary. His brother's body was never found. Only the bloody remains of his uniform and the broken tip of his spear.'

'Oh shit,' breathed Beastboy, his eyes bulging.

Starfire nodded, a grim look etched on her face. 'This will be the true test of courage, wit, and leadership. Raven is bound by _land'ha_ rules to follow my exact commands. She will have no say in this part of the trial.'

A hush spread through the table. The magnitude of Starfire's words weighed heavily on everybody.

'Starfire,' Raven interrupted the silence, wanting to change the gruesome topic. 'Don't we have a meeting with Galfore and the Ku'ya?'

'Yes!' Starfire shot up from her chair. 'Let us be on our way. Or else we shall be late.' Both girls left the breakfast table quickly, leaving the boys alone with their thoughts.

'Damn,' Cyborg said, suddenly finding his appetite had disappeared.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Author's Note: **__Thanks again to everybody for the amazing comments and favs! Keep reading and I'd really appreciate if you took a minute to post a review. Feedback is always welcome. _

_I apologize beforehand if this chapter doesn't seem too good. Facing writer's block waaaaah. I know what I want to say...just not how to write it. Oh well...try and try some more I suppose._

_Little recap of Tamaranian for you all:_

_J'aan- darling/dearest_

_**DISCLAIMER: **__I own nothing...* le sigh*_

* * *

Beastboy stood alone by the balcony, facing the capital city. Tomorrow the male Titans would be accompanying Starfire and Raven to the sanctuary for the _land'ha_. He had just finished packing a bag for the journey and took this free time to be by himself.

His nose twitched as it registered a familiar scent. He didn't turn round as Starfire walked over to him. She didn't say anything, but simply stood beside him. She leaned her back against the railing, as she faced their common room. Wordlessly, she placed a warm hand on his arm. He finally looked at her, smiling just a little.

'You are the okay Beastboy?' she asked, her eyes searching his face.

'Yeah.' He turned slightly to face her. 'Why do you ask?'

Starfire phrased herself carefully. 'Nau, I am simply inquiring. I have been so busy with preparing and completing the _land'ha_, that I have not had the opportunity to spend much time with you.' Her tone took a lighter tone as she continued, 'I miss our bonding sessions. I have not rubbed your cat belly in many days.'

Beastboy chuckled lightly. 'I think that particular task has been taken over by someone else.'

'Speaking of which, where is Raven?'

'She's meditating in her room. All her stuff's packed. I'll bring it out as soon as she's done.'

'Oh...that is good.' Starfire lapsed into silence. Things had become a little tense between the two of them ever since she had refused to inform Galfore about their investigation. Neither one of them enjoyed being so civil towards each other, and Starfire missed the old, fun-loving Beastboy. Awkward silences had never been a problem for them before. They almost always found something to joke about. Laugh about. This tension was an unfamiliar feeling for them both, and neither liked it.

'Are you angry at me?' she asked softly.

'Huh?' Beastboy was genuinely surprised. He wasn't sure where this was coming from. 'What are you talking about?'

She repeated the question before continuing, 'You have been doing the avoiding of me. We do not talk as much anymore. We almost never disagree on any issues. And yet...' she trailed off, not wanting to bring up her reluctance to worry Galfore with their covert investigation. 'Is it because I asked Raven to join the _land'ha_? You are upset with me because I put the woman you care most about into harm's way...am I correct?'

Beastboy stared at Starfire. Had his attitude been that transparent? From the start he had been upset with the arrangement, but he had been careful to hide his true feelings. Had he not helped with their training? Had he not cooked meals for them when they had worked themselves to the point of exhaustion? He wasn't happy with Raven's participation, but he certainly hadn't said anything to Starfire either. Clearly, though, he had done a bad job of supporting Starfire. A feeling of guilt crept up into him. He had been so preoccupied with Raven he had never thought what the Tamaranian was going through.

He placed both hands on her shoulders. 'I'm sorry Starfire. I'm not angry at you.' She looked at him, unconvinced. 'I'm just a little on edge. I guess, maybe... I was a bit mad initially. Raven and I...we've been making so much progress lately. The past few months have been slow, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Every minute I've spent with her so far has been amazing. But then, she's been so busy for nearly three months with the _land'ha_, I felt like I wasn't getting enough time with her. I guess I may have been irritated around you.' He gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze. 'But I know now that this is very important. For the both of you. So, again, I'm not angry.' He flashed her a grin. 'How can I be mad at my big sis eh?'

Starfire gave a slow smile. It made her feel better knowing the truth. His arms moved down from her shoulders to her waist. He brought her in for a hug, and Starfire was more than happy to reciprocate. Before breaking the embrace he have her a light peck on the forehead. He didn't remove his arms around her immediately. 'How have you been? I never asked.' He looked at her with searching eyes, and she was touched by his concern.

'I am alright. For now. It is stressful, and I find myself constantly doubting my own decisions, but I am already halfway through the_ land'ha_ so that is good. Raven has been truly exceptional. She has helped every step on the way to share this burden that weighs heavily on me.'

'That's my girl.' The pride in his voice made Starfire smile.

She shifted the topic of their conversation. 'You are happy then?'

'Yes. A lot. I hope she is too.' He looked a little nervous.

Starfire cupped his face affectionately. 'I know she is. We have many of the girl talk, even after you two started dating.' She teased him. 'My little Beastboy. In a relationship. With Raven no less. Who would have guessed? Oh wait...I did.' She tugged his ears playfully.

'Hey,' he said in mock indignation. 'Who you callin' little? I'll have you know everything underneath this suit is above the age of consent.'

'Barely,' Starfire said containing a laugh.

'You're just jealous 'cause you can't have any of this. Stuck with gel boy'

Starfire rolled her eyes. 'Of course. That is why.'

'Well, I'm sorry. You had plenty of chances to run away with me and have a hundred and one babies. But this particular hunk of manly goodness is off the market.' He winked at her mischievously, bringing her in for a close hug. 'Admit it. You've always wanted me.'

'Oh dear.' Starfire batted her eyelashes flirtatiously at him. 'You have seen right through my charade. What shall I do now?' She leaned heavily against him. Beastboy responded by tickling her ribs. 'Too late. This bronco has already been tamed.' He lowered his voice and said in a conspiratorial tone, 'But a little cat belly rub now and then is always appreciated.'

'I thought you said Raven-'

He shushed her. He looked comically around before whispering far too loudly. 'What she doesn't know won't hurt her.'

'Why Beastboy,' Starfire said, a look of fake shock on her face. 'You surprise me.' Unable to hold in their mirth anymore, they both doubled over in laughter. Just like the old times. Beastboy slung an arm loosely on her shoulders. Starfire gave him a sweet smile. 'Thank you. I have not laughed like this in a long time.' She placed a chaste kiss on his cheek.

'Starfire!' Beastboy said scandalized. 'Somebody will see us. We have to be discrete if we're gonna be secret _lovers_.' He rolled the last word off his tongue with a poor French accent.

Starfire simply elbowed him in the ribs.

TTTTTTT

Raven floated back down to the ground as she finished her meditation. Her eyes opened and she took a deep breath. Her headaches had subsided a little over the last few months, but suddenly she found herself suffering from them again. She walked over to her bed. A small ornate mirror lay on the edge, sunlight glinting off its sleek surface.

She picked up the mirror, gazing at her reflection. Unconsciously, her fingers tightened their grip on the handle. She hadn't made a visit to Nevermore in a while. A journey there was long overdue. She closed her eyes and whispered a spell under her breath.

_Azarath...Metrion...Zinthos._

A swirl of dark magic engulfed her and within seconds she was in the land of her emotional doppelgangers. Courage already stood to greet her. 'About damn time,' she said, hands on hips. 'We're gathered at the temple. Come on.' She gestured to Raven to follow her.

The temple was figuratively, the centre of Raven's mind. When she was to have a discussion with herself, or rather her selves, this was their meeting point. The temple was a large stone structure that resembled a Gothic castle of the mid 14th century. It was complete with steeples and stained glass images that portrayed her most poignant memories. The images changed over the years, each time depicting new portraits. She didn't fail to notice that this time, a few contained Beastboy in them. No surprise there.

'Is everybody here?' Raven asked. She pulled her hood away from her head.

'Yup, all here. Except for Rage. On account of her being chained in her cave and all.'

Raven frowned. She believed she had pretty good control of Rage. After Trigon's defeat, she didn't see any more reason for containing the fiery emotion so tightly. 'I don't remember ordering anything of the sort. Whose idea was it to lock her up again?'

'Knowledge and Wisdom. There were some...uh...' Courage phrased the next part of her reply carefully, 'security issues. Nothing too bad. Routine stuff really.' Raven pinched the bridge of her nose. She knew exactly why Knowledge and Wisdom would take such an action. 'It's because of my fight with Starfire about that ambush, isn't it?' she asked.

They reached the doorway of the temple. Courage ignored Raven's question and opened the door to the temple entrance. Raven walked past her. A quick glance around told her that Courage was right. 7 emotions were present, sitting in various places in the temple hall. But her attention was drawn almost instantly to the orb that hovered in the middle of the emotions.

'Is that...' Raven's voice trailed off, her eyes never leaving the bobbing orb.

'Yup,' Happy chirped. 'That's our newest roomie.'

Raven swivelled on her heels facing her emotions. 'What?' she said, her voice tight. 'How is that possible? I thought you all embodied every emotion I was capable of feeling.' Knowledge cleared her throat and stepped forward. 'That was what we have been led to believe so far. But, you must understand something Raven. All the information we've received was years ago. You were a young teenager. Times have changed. _You've_ changed. You're not the same person you used to be.'

'I don't understand.'

'Consider this. By all accounts you weren't supposed to survive becoming the portal. It should have destroyed your human body.'

Raven was silent. She remembered very well the prophecy that foretold the end of the world.

_**The gem was born of evil's fire, the gem shall be his portal.**_

_**He comes to claim, he comes to sire.**_

_**The end of all things mortal**_

Had the monks of Azar not said it was her fate? Had they not trained her in preparation, knowing that she would never avoid the apocalyptic future. They had tried and failed for years to do so.

'And yet,' Knowledge continued, interrupting Raven's thoughts, 'against all odds, you survived. You secreted part of your soul to your friends. Did you ever stop to wonder where you came to possess such great power? Splitting and leaving your soul behind like that required tremendous amount of magic.'

'I don't know,' Raven said. In that moment of desperation she had made one final, wild gambit. She hadn't realized it would work.

'It was Hope,' said Wisdom quietly. 'Pure. Mad. Desperate Hope.' Courage stood to speak. 'She came from Happy. It was her sister emotion, you might say. Happy wasn't feeling much joy except for hope. So, together we helped bring Hope into form.'

Raven asked, 'Then where is she now?'

'She was absorbed back into Happy. After Trigon's defeat there was no need for her form to be maintained.'

Raven listened carefully. It made sense. She had been so busy trying to defeat her father she hadn't really ventured into Nevermore much during that time. Any changes could have taken place, and since it was her subconscious she wouldn't have been any the wiser. Now she turned back to the orb. She walked close to it, watching it with wary eyes. Her eyes glowed with magic as she checked it. If this was some trick by Trigon to get control of her, she didn't want to be caught off guard. Satisfied there were no traces of her father's influence she asked nobody in particular. 'So, who's this one from?'

There was a slight pause from everybody. A little uncomfortable shifting. Some furtive glances. Courage finally spoke up, 'It's from Affection.'

Raven stilled. Her eyes swivelled to the offending emotion who returned the empath's penetrating gaze with a quiet calmness. At length Affection said, 'I was feeling strained. I could sense something far deeper than affection bubbling in me. I tried containing it, but it's grown too strong now.'

'You know why It's here,' Wisdom said softly.

Raven raised a hand to rub her face tiredly. 'It's too soon. This wasn't supposed to happen so fast. I need more time.' It was Rude's turn to snort loudly. 'Really? Because that orb being here says otherwise.' Raven opened her mouth to give a sharp retort, but nothing came out. What was she to say?

Courage cried out in exasperation, 'Damn it Raven! You're doing it again! Stop trying to fight the changes. You've grown. You've matured. You've survived becoming the portal. So, none of us anticipated what was going to happen next. Sue us! But now there's something good...something _wonderful_ that's happening to you. I get you're scared, you've never been in this position before. But don't run away from this. Not now.'

Wisdom added to Courage's speech. 'She right Raven. You know why that orbs here. It's because of Beastboy. It's because he's opened you the possibility of feeling, and most importantly, of expressing. That's why you're always so open to his emotions...susceptible most to his passion. Because deep down, you want to experience everything that you have blocked yourself off from for so long.'

It was Timid that really drove the point home.

'Don't you wa-wa-want to wear white again?'

TTTTTTT

Robin picked up all the papers on his table. He separated them into different folders and slipped it into his duffel bag. He had been pouring over the details of the two Ku'ya members. He wasn't sure exactly, but there was something that just didn't seem right about it all. He couldn't exactly put his finger on it yet, but he hoped with a little more time, he'd find the missing pieces and find out exactly was going on. Since Starfire's return from Yavnor, they had discussed in detail the ambush, and he had poured over the maps, seeing the differences. Starfire had pointed out the black line that she claimed hadn't been these initially. Further analysis had revealed a worrying answer to him. He hadn't told Starfire yet, but to him it was reminiscent of a tunnel that had been artificially created. Maybe some sort of heavy machinery? That might explain the presence of the Tamaranian ship in the satellite images. Could some type of mining equipment have been used to borrow into the mountain? But that still left the sudden tremors and avalanche to be explained. What could have triggered it? And what about the Col'tek and Bolkasin? Were they somehow connected to the sabotage attempts during the _land'ha_?

_No...there's no link between the two, _Robin thought silently. _Not yet..._

As he pondered over the facts, he heard a knock on the door. 'Hey Rob!' came Cyborg's voice from the other door. 'The guards are here to take our stuff to the ship. They wanna have everything ready before our flight to the sanctuary tomorrow.' Robin moved to quickly grab his and Starfire's bag, 'I'm coming out.' He called out towards the bathroom. 'Kori! Come on, let's go!'

Starfire emerged quickly from the bathroom. She flashed him a smile that made his heart flutter like a little school boy. 'Thank you.' She brushed past him, grabbing the bags from his hand. She opened the door and strode out. The Imperial guards present quickly snapped to attention, spears held erectly in hand. Starfire handed them the bags, and gave a quick command. They bowed their heads in respect. Picking up the rest of the bags, they quickly marched out.

'Raven,' Starfire called out to the empath. 'Come, we must accompany them to make sure everything is in order'. Raven nodded her head. She pulled up her hood and followed the guards out. As they walked through the cavernous halls that weaved through the palace. As they rounded a corner, they were both surprised to find Col'tek leaning against one of the pillars. He immediately stood straight as the girls approached. Raven had not seen any images of him, simply read the reports made by Beastboy and Cyborg. Right now, up close, she could see why he seemed to have so many female Tamaranians fawning over him. She doubted he would escape such attention even on Earth. His face was the same orange tanned, but with chiselled features. He had sharp golden eyes that seemed to see right through to Raven's soul. A scar ran across his cheek, but instead of marring his good looks, it only served to add to an aura of mystery around him.

'Princess Koriand'r, Bondho Raven,' his deep voice was smooth.

'Col'tek,' Starfire replied in greeting. The guards stopped, but Starfire motioned them to continue onwards. The head guard nodded, and continued marching ahead, the rest of his company following him.

'I apologize Princess for not extending my heartiest congratulations upon your return from Yavnor,' he spoke crisply and clearly in English for Raven's benefit. 'Might I add that your entrance was truly spectacular. I have never seen such a display of light before. Did you learn it on Earth?'

'Yes. I was inspired by something Earthlings call fireworks. A truly marvellous combination of science and creativity.'

'No doubt,' he replied glancing at Raven. He smiled warmly. 'Your father would have been proud.'

Raven could feel a spike of annoyance in Starfire, but the alien princesses' expression of cordiality didn't change. She wisely ignored the last comment and asked, 'Is there something you needed Col'tek?'

'Nothing of importance Princess. It has simply been a long time since I have last seen you, and indeed, gained an audience in your presence. I simply wished to join you to the flyer, and assist you with readying yourself for the journey to the sanctuary tomorrow.' Starfire observed him with a quick glance. 'Thank you for your understanding. It is appreciated. Come then.'

He nodded and fell in step with the female Titans as they continued walking onwards. Raven reached out surreptitiously with her powers, finding out what he was truly feeling. Not sensing anything out of the ordinary, she remained silent.

'How has your training been so far?' Col'tek asked nonchalantly.

'It has gone well. We have been working hard over the last week as well,' replied Starfire.

'I have heard. I understand you alone are responsible for strategizing a plan of action for the next part?'

'Yes,' said Starfire.

'Princess, should there be an aid you require I-'

Starfire stopped him. 'Councilman Col'tek. While your concern is appreciated, you must remember that the successful completion of this stage is dependent solely on me. I cannot discuss it with anyone outside of Raven and must also not accept help from anyone.'

'Of course Princess Koriand'r' said Col'tek, his tone apologetic. 'I forget my place. Forgive my...forwardness. I meant no disrespect.'

'It is fine. If you do not mind, I believe Raven and I are able enough to oversee the preparation of our vessel. I shall see you later tonight.' Starfire left no room for Col'tek to argue as she dismissed him subtly. Col'tek took the hint. He bowed his head respectfully to Starfire and left without a word.

Both continued walking down the hall. The guards had long ago gone ahead, and the girls quickened their pace to catch up to them. Raven didn't say anything to Starfire, but she had sensed that Col'tek had an ulterior motive. His expressions and words didn't match his feelings. She sensed that Col'tek was hiding something, but without a full sweep of his mind, she wasn't sure exactly what his thoughts were.

'Starfire. I think Beastboy may be right. I don't trust Col'tek. He's hiding something. I can feel it.'

'I think you are right Raven. I think once we are done organizing our supplies, we should pay Galfore a little visit.'

TTTTTTT

After dinner that night, Starfire and Raven went took the short walk over to Galfore's home. Starfire fiddled with the holographic device in hand, betraying her nervousness. She knew Galfore wouldn't take kindly to anyone trying to hurt his bumgorf. She hoped that Lymia was at home to keep him calm.

Raven stood behind Starfire as she knocked loudly at Galfore's door. After a few moments, a voice asked something in Tamaranian to which Starfire replied. The door opened and they were greeted by Galfore's young son Vyfore. He eyes shone and smile spread across his face. He raised both arms towards Starfire who immediately scooped him up in her arms. She cooed a few words to him which he responded to by giggling.

'Koriand'r!' bellowed Galfore. 'What brings you here? You should be resting! We are flying to the sanctuary tomorrow!' Starfire bent down, gently depositing Vyfore to the floor. He waddled over to his mother who had just appeared behind her husband. 'Koriand'r, what a pleasant surprise. Sit down,' she gestured to the table.

Raven cleared her throat, and Starfire knew that was her saying 'Stop procrastinating.' Starfire turned to Galfore and said, 'K'norfka. There is some important things I need to tell you...'She and Raven spent the next half hour detailing their journey to Yavnor and told Galfore everything, from the ambush to the sudden explosion. Starfire even used the holographic device to show Galfore the tunnel like structure on the map. Unbeknownst to Raven, she even pulled out a charred bronze coloured piece of metal and handed to Galfore.

'And I found this while I was in the cave looking for the metal. Do you know what that is?'

Galfore examined the fragment in his large hands. His eyebrows knotted together in confusion. 'I do not know Koriand'r. I shall have to study it further.' He laid the fragment down and looked at his bumgorf. 'Why did you not inform me immediately? I would have postponed the _land'ha_. Announced a formal investigation. Found out who is responsible.'

'At the cost of us having to go back to Yavnor again. You know the law decrees the trails to begin again if it is postponed for any unavoidable circumstances.'

Galfore was silent, knowing that Starfire had made a fair point. Starfire took this opportunity to inform Galfore about their investigation into Col'tek and Bolkasin. As she predicted, he echoed her concern of accusing two powerful and influential Ku'ya members. As Grand Ruler to the Council, Galfore was still bound by tradition to show them respect and adhere to their decision. 'If what you say is true bumgorf, then you have two potentially dangerous reasons to be on your guard. X'hal protect you if they try again to harm you both. In the sanctuary, we can only watch you. There is nothing we can do to help. That you know.'

Starfire nodded. 'I understand, but now, you are aware of the situation. Can you see if there is anything we are missing? What the motive is for the attack?' Galfore stood up and placed a large warm hand on Starfire. His gaze was soft and full of kindness. 'Bumgorf, I will do _everything _in my power to bring whoever is responsible to justice. You have my _kawth'a_, my word.'

'Thank you k'norfka. I knew I could trust you.'

TTTTTTTT

When Starfire and Raven returned later in the night to their suite, they found only Beastboy in the common room, curled up as a cat and dozing lightly. Starfire smiled slightly, but wordlessly slipped away towards her room letting Raven walk over the sleeping changeling. Raven stroked the cat, awakening him gently from his slumber. Beastboy shifted back to his human form, yawning. 'Hey Raven. I was waiting up for you. How'd the talk with Galfore go?'

'It went well. He was furious obviously, when we told him about the ambush, but Lymia calmed his down. He promised to investigate, and said he'd take all the information you guys gathered to make a stronger case should he have to take it to the Ku'ya.'

Beastboy smiled tiredly. 'That's awesome news.' He yawned again. 'Sorry babe, I'm beat today. I think I'll head to bed now.' Raven stood up with him. She walked with him to his door, and leaned forward to kiss him good night. 'By the way,' he said, just before entering his room. 'I saw you didn't eat much for dinner. Figured you might get hungry later, so I left a little something in your room for you. Happy munching.' He winked before closing the door to his bedroom.

Raven was touched. A small smile played across her lips. When he had become so thoughtful and observant escaped her. Not that she was complaining. She walked into her room, and her eyes were drawn to the bedside table. On it stood a grilled cheese sandwich, a small thermos cup containing herbal tea, and a red apple. She saw a small note beside the apple, and looked at it curiously.

_**For the apple of my eye. Forbidden or not. **_

The gesture was simple, thoughtful, and personal. Raven took a bite of the apple, her mind drifting as she relished its sweet tangy flavour...

_Raven walked out into common room, nose buried in a book. She ignored the boisterous yelling of the boys as they played their games. Starfire was near the kitchen table. One hand stroked Silkie and the other was flipped idly through a magazine. She looked up when Raven walked over to her. _

'_X'hal,' she murmured quietly to Raven. 'Forget Kitten...that gaming console is my biggest competition.'_

_Cupboards opened magically as Raven waved her hand. A cup, hot water, and a bag of herbal tea floated over. Raven put the book down on the table. 'How long have they been at it?' Starfire paused as more yelling erupted from the boys. She answered in a moment of relative quiet, 'I am not sure. 4...5 hours perhaps?' Raven rolled her eyes. 'And Beastboy complains I ignore him. At least I take a break every 2 hours from my reading. I don't think he even remembers our date later today.'_

'_I haven't forgotten!' Beastboy cried suddenly from his position on the couch. He looked at Raven, a hurtful expression on his face. She was caught a bit off guard that he had heard her, until he tapped his ear. Damn. She'd forgotten about his exceptional hearing abilities for a second. She was still getting used to being a relationship, let alone remembering small details about her boyfriend. She felt a pang of guilt. They'd been dating for almost 4 months now, so she really didn't have a good excuse. _

'_Aaah...sorry' she mumbled stupidly. Damn it again. Why did he always make her speechless at the most inopportune moments? Before they began dating she could easily shot back a retort, but now she found herself less and less able to do so. She knew now she no longer wanted to hurt his feelings. _

_Beastboy tossed his controller to Robin, and moved to join the girls. He took a glass from one of the cupboards and helped himself to some water, before sitting down beside Raven. Ignoring her, he focused his attention on drinking. He took slow, deliberate gulps, and for a second Raven lost interest in her tea. She watched as his head leaned back, his throat moving up and down with each swallow. A small drop of water escaped from his lips, and leisurely made its down his neck. Unconsciously Raven's hand moved to wipe it away. But instead of retracting her hand, it remained on his neck. She felt his pulse, steady and strong, beat under her fingertips. His eyes turned to lock on hers..._

_A loud slurping noise pulled Raven's attention away from the changeling. Starfire innocently wiped mustard from her lips, as she set down a jar on the table. 'Oh...I am sorry,' her tone not the least bit apologetic. She picked up Silkie and joined Robin and Cyborg. Beastboy turned to Raven, and leaned over to say quietly, 'We're still up for that picnic in the park. I'm going ahead now to set things up. Join me in an hour?' Raven nodded her head. Beastboy glanced over his shoulder to make sure all the other Titans' attention was still focused on the video game. Satisfied with their preoccupation, he turned around, and quickly leaned over to Raven, kissing her on lips. A cracking sound behind Beastboy told him Cyborg's beloved waffle-maker had taken the brunt of Raven's momentary loss of control. When Beastboy pulled away, Raven couldn't help the blush that now creeped up her cheeks. He winked at her, only adding to the flush, and strode out the room. Raven muttered a curse under breath, as she pulled her hood up to cover her flaming face. She quickly repaired the damaged waffle-maker and buried her nose in the book. She tried passing the hour by reading, but she found herself barely remembering a word she read as her mind kept running ahead in anticipation of their date. _

_In exactly an hour, Raven flew into a secluded area of the park. Landing unnoticed among the trees, she pressed a button on her hologram ring, and instantly her grey skin and purple hair was replaced by a fair white complexion and midnight black tresses respectively. Even her eyes were camouflaged into dark blue. Needless to say, after being caught a few times by the press, they decided the best way to enjoy their dates was to be disguised as normal humans. It wasn't an arrangement they preferred, but both valued their privacy, and decided upon this compromise. At least, they could dress for the occasion, without depending on the hologram to create an outfit. Right now, Raven nervously smoothened the cream dress she wore, hoping the changeling would like it. Not that she cared...much. Not seeing him in their rendezvous point, she frowned. Where was the boy? _

_Not too far off, Raven heard the laughter of children. But, what really caught her attention was the loud laughter of her tardy boyfriend. Curiosity got the better of her and she walked towards the sound. Through the trees, she saw a large open field, where there were lots of young children running around. She observed unnoticed among the trees' shadow, as Beastboy yelled instructions, a football cocked in his hand. He tossed it high, but not too far across the field to a young boy. The little child ran as fast as he could on his short legs, and caught the ball for a winning touchdown. Several of the kids ran over to the changeling screaming with joy. Beastboy basked in their triumph, high fiving some of them. _

_Silently, Raven continued watching for the next 10 minutes as Beastboy ran, tumbled, and laughed as much as the next child. While she had seen the lighter side of him almost on a daily basis, this was a totally different part of him. His expression of joy was identical to the children he played with. Raven had never seen him let go to this extent, almost as if he was experiencing such merriment for the first time. She saw Beastboy catch the ball and run towards the other side of the field, at a deliberately slow pace. Several of the children caught with him and he tumbled to the ground on purpose. The kids took the opportunity to pile onto the fallen changeling, grabbing onto his legs and jumping on his back. Suddenly, he shifted into a terrier and slipped out from their grips. Shifting back just as quickly to his human form, he ran to the end of the field and raised both arms in victory._

'_Alright! TOUCHDOWN!'_

'_Awww...Beastboy...you cheated!' cried a small girl indignantly, untangling herself form the pile of youngsters. 'You shifted!' _

'_What?' cried Beastboy huffing. 'I'm a Titan. I'm incapable of cheating. Besides, everything's fair in love and war...and football.' _

'_Alright kids,' a woman's voice said suddenly. 'It's time to go. Let's say thank you to Beastboy, and pick up all our stuff okay?' A resounding 'Thank you Beastboy' echoed from the youngsters, and Beastboy ruffled the hair of a few of the boys. 'Any time little dudes and dudettes. Stay cool till next week 'kay?' _

_Raven watched through narrowed eyes as the attractive young African-American woman came over to speak a few words lowly to the changeling. Raven's eye twitched in annoyance as the woman lay her hand on his shoulder. They both shared a laugh before Beastboy waved once more to the departing children and quickly morphed into a bird and flew up into the sky. Raven knew he'd be flying back to their picnic spot and she quickly turned to retrace her steps. _

_Just as she arrived in the clearing, she heard Beastboy call out, 'Raven?' His voice came from behind a large tree. 'Yes, it's me,' she deadpanned in response. 'Hang on a sec. I'll be right out,' he said. After a few seconds, he emerged from behind the thick trunk, a picnic basket in hand. It took Raven a second to register the voice with the handsome man that now stood before her. Beastboy's hologram ring had disguised him with a tanned skin and light brown hair that fell over his forehead and unelongated ears. But his eyes still twinkled green. He wore a light blue shirt, a pair of khaki shorts, and loafers. _

'_Heya,' he said. Even the charming grin felt a bit different without his fang poking out. Not a bad different, she decided inwardly. A pleasant different. 'Sorry I'm late.' He quickly laid out the a blanket on the ground. She sat down beside him as he started laying the food out. A tofu hot dog, a chicken sandwich, a big bag of chips, and some wine coolers. She softened a little when she saw how much effort he had taken to prepare for this outing. She took a nibble of the sandwich, appreciating that he made a non-vegetarian alternative for her. _

'_So, what do you think?' he asked her between bites of his tofu hot dog. _

'_Hmmm?' she said. _

'_Of the game? You saw a bit of it, right? I smelt you close by.' He grinned at her. 'By the way, love the lavender incense.' Raven blushed, but she continued to act nonchalantly. 'It was cute. I didn't know you played with the children here.' _

'_I started about a year ago. Cyborg, actually got me into it. The woman you probably saw...that was Sarah. His ex. He's been meeting her for the past 2 years now, right when she moved to Jump City. They've been getting pretty close again, and I think Cy's still interested in her, what with their relationship ending with his accident and all...but...uh...that's another story. Anyway, those kids, they're all orphans.'_

_Now Raven looked up from her sandwich. Beastboy continued, 'They come here to play, and you know, get the chance to be kids...escape from the pain, even if's just for a couple of hours. I join them because...' he swallowed, and Raven was silent, waiting for him to continue. 'I know what it's like to lose the ones you love. But just for a few moments, they get to be kids. And I get to be one with them.' _

_That familiar sorrow welled up in him. She could sense it. Felt the ache it brought. 'I lost my childhood the day my parents died in that boating accident. And there wasn't any chance for a break with the Doom Patrol either. Mento always insisted on discipline and following orders. Rita tried to make me feel like a kid...balance out Mento's training. There were Thanksgivings dinners, Christmas presents, and dressing up as Han Solo for Halloween, but...the mood's kinda spoiled when your interrupted from it all to help avert another global catastrophe, or stop the Brain again.' He gestured with his arm as he continued, 'But these kids don't have to worry about all that. We have something in common, so we can relate to each other. With them, I can forget that I didn't have any of this when I was growing up. I can make my own memories of hide and seek and playing tag. I'm just...a few years late. That's all.' _

_Raven could feel her own past echoed in his words. The distance her mother was forced to maintain, countless hours spent reading about the prophecy in the Temple Library, learning meditating techniques for years...had she not endured it all with complaint? Accepted that this was her life, and that being the portal was her only future? There had been no time for play dates, or playing with dolls._

_A lost childhood. _

_That was what brought them all together in the first place._

_Raven reached over to hold his hand. 'I know how that feels too Gar,' she said softly. And before she knew it, she spilled the story of her own painful past. He listened attentively, asking questions sparingly. With each passing moment, Raven found the burden that had weighed so heavily on her become less and less difficult to bear. After she finished, she found him sitting very close to her, his thumb gently stroking her hand as he never let go of it. His eyes were compassionate as he said, 'Feels good doesn't it? To share the load...' _

'_Yes...it certainly does,' she said. _

'_Thank you Rae.' _

'_For what?' she said, her voice betraying her confusion. _

'_For opening up a bit more. I know it takes a lot for you to talk about your past.' He smiled at her, and Raven found herself imagining his fang poking out. 'I hope...everyday you'll let me in a bit more, because I care about you. I want to make you happy, if you'll let me. Every moment I've spent with you, every date we've been on so far, I've discovered something new about you each time. And, I want to keep going.' _

_The part of Raven that would have shied away was blissfully silent. 'I'd like that,' she said softly. 'I care about you too Gar. You've been nothing but sweet and understanding, and...you make feel things I've never felt before. Sometimes it's scary, but I don't want it to stop either.' Beastboy grinned madly at her, as his hand rose affectionately to push a lock of her hair behind her ear. _

'_Sweet!'_

_Raven barely contained a laugh. Such a Beastboy thing to say. _

'_Just so you know, you look beautiful in that dress.' _

_So he had noticed. 'Thank you.' _

'_Oooh,' Beastboy released her hands, much to Raven's regret and stood up. 'I almost forgot about dessert. There's some vanilla ice cream in the basket.' Raven looked up as he walked back towards the large tree. 'Where are you going?' _

'_To get something to go with the ice cream.' _

'_Right now? What is it?' she asked, curiosity getting the better of her. _

'_You'll see,' he replied enigmatically. _

_A few seconds later, a rustling in the tree drew Raven's attention. Looking up, she saw a green snake slithering among the branches. In its mouth was cradled a large red apple. Raven got up and walked over to the low hanging branch. She watched as the snake unwrapped itself a little from the tree limb, and extended the apple towards Raven. _

'_You know,' she said, 'I am a little hesitant to accept an apple...especially one that's offered to me by a snake, no less.' The green snake simply bobbed it's head in annoyance. Raven took the apple, and sliced a small piece with her powers. As soon as Beastboy shifted back into human form, she completed the allusion by offering him the piece she had bitten into. _

'_Come here,' he beckoned her back to their resting spot. 'You gotta try it with the ice cream.' She sat down as he quickly extracted the carton of vanilla ice cream. 'Now, just take a small bite...not too big, and don't start chewing yet.' She raised an eyebrow at the unusual request but listened to him anyway. Taking a small spoonful of the ice cream, he suddenly pulled her in and kissed her. Raven was caught off guard for a moment, but her eyes closed and she parted her lips. She immediately felt the coolness of the ice cream followed by the warmth of his tongue enter her mouth. Together they savoured flavour and the experience._

_Forbidden fruit had never tasted so sinfully sweet before. _

Back in the present time, Raven suddenly had a monstrous craving for vanilla ice cream.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Author's Note: **__Thank you again to everybody for their lovely comments and reviews. Hopefully I shall continue to keep you excited about the story as we continue onwards..._

_Before the last stage of the land'ha beings, BB and Rae have a talk about their relationship, reflecting on a particular event in their shared past. (Referring to Chapter 4) _

_Major BBXRae in this Chapter._

_**DISCLAIMER: **__I don't own TT..._

* * *

The journey to the sanctuary was a tense time for the Titans. Starfire and Raven spent almost all the hours locked away in the ship's command centre, pouring over maps. They extensively studied the layout of the sanctuary, figuring out the best point of entry, working on a plan to infiltrate the jungle, and most importantly, a way of getting out alive. The boys kept themselves busy by continuing their investigation, but this time, they consulted Galfore. His insight would prove to be helpful in filling in the missing pieces of the puzzle.

The night before their arrival at the sanctuary, the Titans joined the members of the Ku'ya for dinner. Much time was spent on toasting Starfire and Raven for completing the previous challenge, and everyone wished them luck for the next day. Starfire bowed her head in humble acceptance. Sitting beside her as was the custom during the _land'ha_, Raven stoically sipped her drink from a large cup. After a while, Starfire and Raven excused themselves early from the dinner, citing the _land'ha _as an excuse for their departure. Not too much later, the Titan boys also excused themselves. They walked quickly through the interior of the ship, arriving in Cyborg's room. They walked in to find both the girls already there. Starfire sat on Cyborg's bed, legs crossed and leaning back on her palms. Raven stood near the windows watching wordlessly as the Tamaranian terrain passed underneath them at a steady pace. They both looked up towards the boys as they entered the room.

This was the only time they would get to spend all together before the girls would leave early the next morning. Cyborg sat behind Starfire, and she leaned against him. He wrapped an arm around her in a protective brotherly hug. Robin took a chair and sat down. Raven extended her arms as Beastboy walked over to her. He didn't kiss her in front of the others, but simply wrapped an arm around her hip bringing her in close. She didn't resist and placed her hand on his, entwining their fingers.

'You girls ready, right?' Cyborg asked looking at them.

'Yes,' said Starfire softly.

'As ready as we'll ever be,' droned Raven. Although the flat tone of her voice betrayed nothing, Beastboy could tell, by the tenseness in her muscles and the way her hand gripped his tightly, that she wasn't completely at ease.

'It'll be fine,' Robin added encouragingly. 'I know for a fact you both have prepared yourselves thoroughly.'

'Yeah, if anything, I pity those gollyokies,' said Beastboy.

Starfire chuckled lightly. 'It is pronounced_ ghulyaloks.' _

'Right,' said Beastboy, 'that's what I said.'

Starfire simply rolled her eyes.

Idle chit chat followed. Anything to keep the girls distracted from their monumental task the next morning. Cyborg even managed 5 cups of hot coffee, and everybody accepted. They hadn't had a chance since the _land'ha _training began to spend much time together so this was a welcome opportunity. After a while, Raven gave Beastboy's hand a light squeeze. He understood her subtle signal as she stood straighter. She lifted her hood and said, 'I'm headed to bed. I'll see you tomorrow morning.' The group echoed their goodnights as she walked out of the room, leaving the coffee mug on a desk. When she left, Beastboy pulled another chair and sat down beside Robin, still nursing his cup of coffee. It was fairly early still, and he wasn't tired yet. But, his mind didn't follow the conversation the others were having either. His thoughts were on a purple-haired sorceress. He swallowed the last few gulps quickly, ignoring the pain of the heated liquid burning his mouth.

'I think I'll hit the sack' said Beastboy getting up.

'See ya tomorrow grass stain,' called Cyborg at his friend's retreating form.

'Bright an' early tin man,' shot back the changeling over his shoulder.

Cyborg waited a few seconds after Beastboy left before saying, 'Quite a pair those two, huh?'

'One of a kind,' Robin added. Starfire had moved off the bed and now sat on his lap, her head resting on his shoulder, eyes shut. Robin caressed her back gently with one hand, while the other still held his cup of coffee.

'They have both changed,' Starfire said lifting her head from Robin's shoulder. 'They have grown together in their relationship.'

'Wonder what it was they saw in each other...I mean it's not like the they were like you two,' Cyborg gestured to the couple in front of him as he continued, 'makin' flirty eyes and laughing _way_ to loudly at the other's jokes from the very start.'

'Sometimes,' said Starfire, 'it is not what you see, but rather what you _did not_ see in the beginning, that may completely change your perspective of somebody. Matters of the heart are never quite so simple my friend. Especially when you are Raven or Beastboy.'

TTTTTTTT

Beastboy navigated his way to their designated sleeping chambers, his nose following the scent of Raven. She hadn't passed by too long ago so her scent was still strong. Arriving at her door, he knocked softly. Hearing the lock click, he opened the door and slipped in quickly. Raven sat near the desk, quietly cleaning her swords. The gems glinted and shone as the twilight hit their surface. She put the sword down when Beastboy walked in.

'I think I burned my tongue,' he said sorrowfully, gesturing to his mouth.

She didn't say anything, but from her raised eyebrow Beastboy knew what she was asking, 'I drank the coffee too fast. 'Casue I wanted to be with you...'

His eyes followed her as she walked over to him and sat on the bed. Her cloak lay unattached at the back of the chair, and her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, a few delicate tendrils gracing her face.

'Let's see,' she said, her fingers tilted his head back so she could get a better look. He opened his mouth and she saw he was right. The tip on his tongue bore tell-tale signs of a slight scalding. 'Let me fix that,' she said in a low husky voice that sent shivers down Beastboy's spine. She pulled him forward into a kiss, and Beastboy happily accepted the warm touch of her. Her tongue ran across his own and Beastboy involuntarily moved his mouth against hers, savouring the feel of her soft lips and taste. He could tell from the mint flavour that she had brushed her teeth. Suddenly, his mouth tingled with the power of her magic, as she healed the little burn on his tongue. When they broke their kiss, she stroked his cheek.

'Better?'

'Hmmm,' he mumbled. He looked at her with green eyes that twinkled mischievously, 'But I think you missed a spot,' He grabbed her and pulled her in close to his chest, teeth nibbling along her exposed neck and jaw line. He felt her body shake with a silent laugh. She pushed him back long enough to scoot a little more onto her bed, but he was on top of her in seconds. He growled playfully and laid his weight carefully on top of her. He knew he was bigger and heavier, and the last thing he wanted was for her to get hurt. He nuzzled her neck affectionately, breathing in her scent that he loved so dearly.

In his dazed state, he didn't properly register the feel of her leg hook around his own. With a quick tug and shift of her weight, Raven flipped Beastboy over so now it was the changeling that lay underneath her. Both her hands splayed across his chest as she settled on top of him. His hands were on her shoulders but they gently ran down, and pulled at her gloves. He helped her peel them off and threw them across the room. There would be no need for such articles of clothing now.

Reaching up with one hand, he loosened her hair, letting her purple locks cascade down her shoulders. He sat up, holding her tight as she straddled him. She held his head close to her breasts, fingers running through his hair. He felt her tug gently at his head and he looked up. He stretched towards her and she bent her head down, initiating a deep, passionate kiss.

His eyelids slid shut lazily. He was blissfully lost.

Lost in her scent. In her embrace. In her taste.

Raven was a quick learner. It didn't take long after they had started to become closer and more intimate that she listened closely to Beastboy. Months of time spent together meant she now knew exactly what made him groan, what made him croon in pleasure, and what made him writhe underneath her in heated anticipation. She could feel warm muscles tense and harden under her touch. The way Beastboy's hands pawed at her back and hips, clutching and stroking her and the stirring in his manhood told her he was slowly loosing himself to his beastly urges. It gave her a certain sense of pride that she had this power over him, this ability to send him from lucidity to lusty haze in a matter of seconds. But her own hips rolled involuntarily against his, and she found it hard to break away from his kiss. Pressed so close against Beastboy's chest, the thundering of her heartbeat mirrored his own, and Raven realized this power was shared both ways.

She was the first to gain control over herself. The hardness of his arousal had served as a good distraction from her own passion. She placed one last kiss on his lips and drew away. Rolling off of him, she sat down beside the changeling, breathing heavily. She quickly tied her hair back up. The back of her hand wiped away the light sheen of sweat on her face. A small bead trickled its way down the V-cut of her leotard. She wiped it away quickly and stood up. Her heart still pounded against her chest, and she knew it would take a few moments before it slowed down.

Bereft of Raven's body heat, Beastboy too composed himself. He sighed. He knew he was more than ready to go all the way with Raven, his throbbing erection a clear indication of his desire for her. But, her hesitation and shyness to move forward saddened him slightly. He wasn't sure why she still held back, but he hoped she would become free of her inhibitions. In the meantime, he would have to be patient. She was well worth the wait. Of that, he had no doubt.

He waited to find his voice. 'I should go...'

'Gar...wait.'

He turned around slightly, making sure to cross his legs surreptitiously. The tenting of his pants would make any type of conversation awkward. Inwardly he cursed the lack of control over his male hormones.

'I,' she licked her lips before continuing, 'wouldn't mind a little more time with you.'

Even before she said anything, Beastboy caught the small change in her scent. 'Nervous about tomorrow?' he asked, concern in his question. She simply nodded her head. There was a slight rosy blush to her cheeks, probably from their actions minutes before, but her eyes betrayed her emotions. 'Babe, give me a few minutes to get into my p-jays and I'll be back,' he said. He gave her that charming grin of his, and she found her fear melt away just a little bit.

When he had returned to her, she was already dressed for the night. But, she paced restlessly around her chamber, a hand rubbing her forehead. Beastboy quietly locked her door and walked over to his girlfriend. She was anxious and nervous, he could tell not only from her scent but from her tense movements. This was a side of her he rarely ever saw. Raven was the calm, detached member of their group. She was usually the voice of wisdom among them, since few things unphased her. The only time he had seen her truly break down was during the Prophecy.

He wrapped his arms around her slender frame, and she immediately stopped her pacing. She turned around and wrapped her arms around his back. She leaned her cheek against his chest, and tapped into the feeling of calm emanating from him. He was her rock, steadying her against the sea of wild emotions that she now frequently felt. With him by her side, she wasn't so scared about the consequences of her emotional outbursts. He picked her up in his strong arms, and moved towards her bed. He cradled her close to him and sat her on his lap. He pecked the chakra on her forehead, while one hand stroked a smooth thigh. 'Talk to me Raven,' he whispered. 'What's bothering you?'

'Too many things are happening. I'm feeling...overwhelmed,' she said quietly, trying to keep her voice neutral. 'This _land'ha_ was supposed to be over without much problem, but then we had to get ambushed, and find out there's an assassination plot against Starfire. We don't know whether it's Bolkasin or Col'tek or _both _who's out to get her. Tomorrow we're up against a creature that nobody knows how powerful or deadly it really is. I have to rely on defeating this unholy animal without full access to my powers. I'm not used to going into battle without researching my opponent or knowing what I'm getting myself into. I don't know how this will end up, and I have to be strong not just for myself but for Starfire too.'

Beastboy didn't interrupt her, and he leaned back against the pillows so he could look at his girlfriend properly. She continued, emotion building up with each word, 'And then there's us.' She looked at him, pausing to brush away a strand of green hair that fell across his eyes. 'I feel like...we've come a long away. And it really scares me, because I've never been so happy before. Never felt so optimistic about the future. I keep thinking that any day, something terrible will happen. A tragedy to balance out the joy.'

Suddenly a pillow beside Beastboy burst, raining feathers on them both. 'See!' Raven said exasperated. Beastboy spit out a few feathers from his mouth, and pulled a few more out of Raven's hair. He shifted her slightly on his lap and sat a bit straighter. Raven quickly mended the damaged pillow. The warm gentle hand that had been caressing her thigh stilled its motions. 'What are you trying to say Raven?'

'Am I the only one who feels we're going a little too fast?' she asked, her voice no longer flat, but brimming with doubt. 'The last time I opened up so much so fast, a dragon broke my heart and left the Tower in shambles.'

Beastboy stiffened at her words. So that was why she was hesitant. She thought he was going to be another Malchoir.

A dark expression crossed the changeling's face. Barely contained anger laced his voice as he said, 'Raven, I'm _nothing_ like Malchoir. I told you at the very beginning, I don't have an ulterior motive to wanting you.' He's lips twisted in a snarl, 'I care more about you than anyone on the face of this planet, and yet you still doubt me after all this time?' He grabbed her neck and pulled her close, his eyes reflecting hurt and anger mixed together. 'Did Malchoir spend day after day just talking to you? Did Malchoir fight beside you for years protecting you from harm? Does he know the name of your favourite author? Did he ever make you tea? Did he hold your hand on walks through the park, or outings to the beach? Did he fight for you and _**only you**_ when Trigon took over the world?' His voice became a growl as he continued, 'Did he ache when you trained tirelessly for the _land'ha?_ Did he cry out in pain when you left behind everything and followed Starfire to Yavnor?'

Raven steadied herself against him. He was holding her tight, her arms trapped between their bodies. 'Did he ever do _this?' _he said violently before pulling her in for a blistering kiss, bruising his lips against her. She didn't shirk from his passion, or from his hurt and fury. There was no need to. She responded with equal strength, her own feelings of fear and doubt adding to his emotions as their tongues battled for supremacy. She moaned as his teeth scraped against her skin, nipping at her neck. After a few minutes, the anger subsided, and the fear melted away. Lips that had been hard and demanding before, now left tiny, soft kisses. He pulled away from her slightly, and she could still feel the hurt and sadness in him. But the anger had burned away. He could never stay mad at her for long. His heart wouldn't allow it. Not when she stroked his chest so lovingly. Not when she pushed her breast against him, so he could feel every breath she took. Not when she gazed at him unwaveringly with amethyst eyes that seemed see straight into his soul.

'Oh Rae,' he moaned softly, a thumb stroking her cheek. 'What have I ever done to make you think that I'd hurt you?'

She didn't answer instantly, only bit her bottom lip. Beastboy's hand travelled back up to her thigh. He was able to coax a soft sigh out of her. He lowered his head, kissing her shoulder. 'Tell me...'his voice became deep and rumbled low from his chest.

She lifted the strap of her night gown that had somehow fallen from her shoulder. 'Remember the days that followed Robin's shooting?'

'The bank robbery from hell...'he said, nodding his head. Now he remembered what she was referring to. It had been nearly 8 months ago, but he knew exactly what she event she was insinuating. When she had initiated a kiss, he had recoiled from her touch seconds later. But not for the reasons she seemed to wrongly think.

'I kissed you, and then you backed away from me Gar. It hurts even when I think about it now. I know you apologized, and I forgave you, but you still never told me why, when we just started becoming close you moved away from my touch.' They had progressed far more from that point, both emotionally and physically, but it was still an event that bothered her.

Now it was Beastboy's turn to be hesitant. Up until now, only Cyborg knew that the Beast had chosen Raven as a mate. How was he to explain that his animal side had picked her above all others? And that his human side had been only too happy to oblige? Why else did he respond so readily and easily to her touch? Her scent? Her voice? He swallowed. For the next few minutes, it was critical he phrase himself carefully and accurately. His fang poked out, betraying his slight worry. But, if he couldn't be truthful to her, then there was no point of being in a relationship. Malchoir had started their affair based on lies, and he'd be damned if he followed in the footsteps of that two-tongued reptile.

In the beginning, she had simply asked for his honesty. He was about to give it to her.

'The Beast...has been a lot more, vocal lately. He talks a little now and then.'

Both of Raven's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He had never said anything to her about this.

'You asked me a few moments ago, if I thought we were moving too fast. Maybe we it's not a bad thing._' _He kissed her lightly. 'Raven, based on my feelings, the Beast picked you above everyone else. He brought my subconscious desire to consciousness and in the span of two months of us dating he changed me...changed how I felt about you...permanently.'

Raven brows furrowed in confusion. 'What do you mean?'

Now it was time for the embarrassing confession. 'He...uh...he...well...I guess I mean I, since it's really me...'he babbled like a fool.

'Gar,' Raven's voice was hard.

'I want you as...my mate.'

There. He had finally said it. It felt good, getting the load off his chest. But now he looked at his girlfriend carefully, wondering with apprehension if this would cause any problems. Raven had always been clear about the physical aspect of their relationship. There was a line she wasn't willing to cross just yet, and he hadn't questioned it. Such was the nature of their courtship. He could ask, she would give her answer, he would respect her decision.

'So,' she said at length, looking him directly in the eye. Credit to her, she hadn't leaped off his lap after his confession, 'I suppose you don't mean _mate_ in the Australian or British sense of the word,' she deadpanned. He rolled his eyes. She really was going to put him through this. He shook his head.

'Not just as a friend...'

'No.' He snorted. 'Did I ever kiss Starfire the way I kiss you?'

'So more...than a friend,' she said deliberately slowly.

'Woman! Do you see me playing tonsil hockey with Robin?' he cried out in exasperation.

She ignored his last statement before continuing down her line of question. 'In a sense that constitutes more than just the physical relationship we have so far...correct?'

Good God. She was killing him.

'Yes,' he said. He could feel a heated blush rise in his face. Was she going to make him spell it out for her? He cast a quick glance at her. She wasn't smiling in the slightest. There was no humour in her voice, and her hands weren't caressing him any longer. They had balled into fists, as she held a handful of his Wolverine shirt.

'So, he..' she corrected herself, '_you_ want us to be...' she paused, searching for the word. She looked at him with a piercing gaze. 'Lovers?'

Sweet Jesus and all things holy. Somebody shot him now. 'Yeah,' he said, swallowing the nervous lump in his throat. This would be the part that, if he was lucky, she'd chuck him out the window, or if he was unlucky, in a dimension of pure horror. He really should have kept his mouth shut, even if it killed him. Although it looked like it might kill him now.

'Basically,' she continued, her voice low and flat, 'the Beast wants to mate with me.'

'Umm,' he opened his mouth before he could stop himself. Since he was going down this path of sure death, he may as well lay it all out. 'More like, I want you...' his voice trailed off.

'Sexually?' she asked.

About this he would never lie. _Could _never lie. He looked at her, and murmured in a low, hushed voice. 'Yes.' He realized too late, that he should never have brought this matter to her attention. She had such an important trial early the next morning, and here he was, confessing his heated desire for her. He smacked himself mentally. No matter what it cost him, he should have not told her anything. He should have waited until all this craziness was over and she was able to devote her attention back to him.

He felt her hand loosen its grip from his shirt before moving up to cup his face. She tilted his head back slightly so she could look at him. There was softness to her gaze that hadn't been there during his confession.

'Gar.' Her voice was low and soft. 'I have no illusions about us...or where our relationship is headed. I knew sooner or later, we'd arrive at this issue. I mean...for the past few months we have been rather...'

'Hands on?' he said cheekily.

She tugged his ear. 'That's one way of describing it.'

'Babe, that's the only way of describing it.'

'My point is, I knew that somewhere down the line, we'd talk about this. About the possibility of...sleeping with each other.' Raven now blushed heavily, feeling an entirely different set of nervousness in the pit of her stomach. Why she was having this conversation cuddled on her muscular boyfriend's lap, while his hands kept stroking and rubbing her, she had no idea. She should have put some distance between them. Earth sounded safely far enough.

'You know how I feel about you, Rae. I can't hide that,' Beastboy said. Raven's eyes dropped down on their own accord to the part of himself he was referring to. Mercifully, he was in control at the moment. 'But with you, it's a bit harder for me to understand how you feel. I mean, most of the time, when we're kissing and touching, I smell your arousal, your...desire, and it drives me crazy. I love it...it makes me want to go all the way. But then I hear the hesitation in your voice. Feel you stiffen underneath me. And it makes me wonder...is it me? Don't you want me?'

_Oh Azar_. How was she to explain herself?

'It's not you Gar. It's just...I'm a little nervous. Sex is a big step. Once we do it there's no taking it back. It took me this long to get used to there being an us. I need a little more time. I like where we are, what we have. I'm just scared that sleeping together would change that.'

Beastboy frowned. 'Change what? How I feel about you?'

She nodded. 'I don't want to lose the sweet, loving version of you I have now. The one that still tries to make me smile with lame jokes,'

'My jokes aren't lame. They're fabulous. That's why nobody gets 'em' Beastboy mumbled under his breath.

Raven just smiled a little before continuing, 'The one that makes me tea after I meditate because he knows it helps me relax. The one that holds me tight and snuggles next to me because he knows how much I love the warmth of his body.'

'Rae,' Beastboy said, 'I wouldn't change just because I slept with you. You're the best thing that's happened to me in a long time. I would never jeopardize what I have with you. If you feel that sex would change things between us, you're right. It would. But not for the worst.' He kissed her neck. 'It's called _making love_ for a reason babe.' Another heavy blush came over Raven's face when he said that. He continued gently, 'If time is what you need then take all the time in the world. I'm not going anywhere.'

Raven said quietly, 'To be that open and vulnerable...I don't know if I could do that Gar. I've never been so intimate with anybody before.'

'And I've never had a beautiful woman sit on my lap, and kiss me senseless before. You think I'm not afraid as well? I have to constantly be on my guard that the Beast doesn't take over me whenever we're making out. I'm always holding myself back, because I'm scared too. Scared that he would be too rough with you and hurt you. I could never live with myself if I caused you any sort of pain, even if it's unintentional.'

Something clicked at the back of Raven's mind. 'So that's why you suddenly bolt when we're getting too...heated. You're trying to compose yourself. You're keeping the Beast at bay, so he doesn't force himself onto me.'

He nodded.

'But, if he's your subconscious, he wouldn't want to hurt me either right?'

'He's an animal Raven. I'm not about to take any chances. He may not realize he's hurting you. Until I can control him in all aspects, I have to be careful when we're together.'

She thought quietly for a second. 'Maybe I can help you with that. I know some meditation techniques that may aid you in communicating with your inner self. With the Beast.'

He nodded his consent. 'We'll do that. As soon as this _land'ha _is over, and we're back home. You won't be preoccupied with training, so you can give me the time needed.'

'Guess we're all fighting our inner demons, whatever form they may be in,' she said quietly. Raven leaned on Beastboy, settling comfortably on his chest. She stretched her legs out, grazing them against Beastboy's.

Beastboy himself burrowed into the big pillows. He stroked her back and kissed the top of her head. 'You're not in this alone Raven. I'm sharing this experience with you every step of the way. So, when it's time for the next step, whenever that may be, we'll do it. Together.'

She was touched by his patience, and thoughtfulness. 'Together,' she agreed.

They lay like that quietly. Basking in the warmth of each other. It was only after an hour that Beastboy finally found the will to shift under her slightly. Raven moaned in protest. She was close to falling asleep, and didn't like the disturbance. He chuckled softly, and said 'I should let you rest.' He moved slightly, and was about to slid out from under her, but this time, it was Raven that held onto him.

He turned to look at her in surprise. His eyes searched hers. She didn't have to say anything. He could tell that she didn't want to be alone. Not in this moment of fear and uncertainty. Who knew what would happen to her the next morning? What horrors lay in the sanctuary for both her and Starfire? But while she had been in his embrace, it made passing the long night a whole lot more bearable. He was more than happy to accommodate her. She slid back a bit further, and he settled in again.

In the silence that followed the only sound that permeated through the chamber was the soft rumble of the ship's engine, and a purring snore.

TTTTTTTT

Raven awoke invariably at the break of dawn. Soon the light of the bigger of Tamaran's two suns would creep over the horizon. She sighed for a second, unwilling to escape the warmth that cocooned her. She heard a soft purring sound near her ear. Looking over she saw that under the blankets she had draped a leg on top of Beastboy's. The changeling was sleeping on his front, one of his arms was slung over his head, and the other held her tightly to him, snaking across her abdomen and curling into her side. She noted with a blush, that if his hand had been any higher, it would have cupped her breast. This was the first time she and Beastboy had shared a bed for so long, let alone spend the night together. To her surprise, she had a peaceful night of sleep. His presence had been enough to ward off her fears. For that, she was indebted to him.

She muttered a complicated spell under her breath and suddenly her body phased out from under his arm, instead replacing it with a pillow. Beastboy shifted a little in his sleep, groaning a little. At some level, he could tell that it was no longer the empath he held in his embrace. She reappeared on the other side of the bed. Picking up her _land'ha_ uniform she walked to the small bathroom adjoining her sleeping chambers. By the time she had emerged, completely ready for the day, Beastboy had not even shifted in the slightest. Knowing he would want to say good bye to her she walked over and sat on his side of the bed. One hand snaked underneath the blanket and his shirt, tickling him lightly across the ribs. She kissed the back of his neck, and whispered lightly in his ear, 'Gar, time to get up.'

He mumbled something incorrigible in his sleep. Her hand began stroking him a bit more strongly, and she ran her fingernails against his back, all the while, still kissing his neck. When he opened his eyes, she pulled on his side in an attempt to get him to roll onto his back. When he finally rolled over, she rubbed her hand in a circular motion on his chest, tapping lightly every few seconds until he looked at her properly.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he finally got a good look at Raven. She was dressed in that sexy purple _land'ha _outfit. He had the presence of mind to not trail his eyes blatantly down the split neck of the outfit that stretched all the way to Raven's navel.

'Babe,' he said in a thick voice, 'is this how you usually say good morning? 'Cause I could really get used to this,'

'Only if I'm trying to get a certain green-skinned changeling out of my bed,' she said without missing a beat.

He laughed. She moved out of his way, so he could get up. His expression became serious again, as he realized she would be leaving in just an hour. 'Use my bathroom to freshen up,' she said gesturing towards a door. He nodded and quickly went inside. By the time she had strapped her swords and worn her boots, he was out. His hair was still dishevelled and he was just zipping the top of his uniform on. He opened his arms and she was in them within seconds. The last time he had said goodbye, they had been in the public eye and he hadn't done much. But now, in the privacy of her bed room he kissed her deeply and leisurely, taking his time. It was a good thing he was holding her, because Raven felt herself sway slightly. He held her tighter and dipped her slightly, taking the opportunity to prolong this moment for as long as he was allowed. When he finally removed his lips from hers, she was breathing heavily, and her eyes were glazed over.

'Be safe Raven,' he said throatily.

Raven didn't trust her voice to speak but she simply nodded her head. 'Let's go. You and Starfire are having breakfast together right?' he asked, a hand on her hip, leading her to the door.

'Yes,' she said, finally controlling herself.

Just as she stepped out of the doorway, Raven was startled a bit to see Starfire was already out. The alien princess smiled in greeting. 'Good morning Raven...' Her voice trailed off, and her eyes widened a little in surprise when she saw Beastboy also step out from Raven's room. Raven blushed in spite of herself as she felt the wave of surprise and embarrassment from the changeling. He had the expression of a deer caught in the headlights. He swallowed, and coughed nervously. Suddenly, Raven couldn't wait to face the _ghulyaloks. _

'And good morning to you Beastboy.' Starfire's eyes darted from one madly blushing Titan to the other.

Beastboy's voice cracked a little as he replied, 'Morning Starfire.'

'It's not what you think,' said Raven in an effort to explain the situation. 'We were just spent the night together...'

_That didn't sound suggestive in the slightest_.

'I can see that.' Starfire had a smug smile on her face.

'I mean nothing happened...' she mumbled stupidly.

'Undoubtedly.'

For the moment Raven was spared anymore embarrassment as Robin and Cyborg came down the hallway to them. Starfire and Raven would be having breakfast alone, so this was the last chance they had to talk. There was no need for long goodbyes. Words of encouragement were spoken, embraces were exchanged and before they knew it, it was time to part again.

Raven spared one last glance at Beastboy, before Starfire placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and guided her away.

TTTTTTTT

In spite of her absence of appetite, Raven forced herself to eat a proper meal. While this stage of the trials wasn't supposed to take as long as the previous one, she knew she would need all her strength. She washed down everything with a soothing cup of herbal tea.

A knock on the dining hall door was followed by a voice, 'Princess Koriand'r, Bondho Raven. It is time.'

Starfire stood up, and Raven followed her. They made their way through the hallways to a lift. It lowered them deep into the belly on their flying vessel. As the doors to the lift swished open, Starfire walked into the hull of the ship. Judging by the large metallic doors on the floor, Raven guessed they would be flying out of the ship. This was consistent with their entry plan into the sanctuary.

A voice on the intercom asked something in Tamarainan, and Starfire answered.

Raven saw she had guessed correctly. Amid loud warning sirens and bright lights, the metallic doors swung open, revealing the expanse of the sanctuary underneath them. Both Starfire and Raven walked to the edge. The winds buffeted their bodies as they both gazed down from the immense height of the ship.

'Raven,' Starfire said.

Raven looked over at her best friend.

'You are with me?' The Tamaranian's eyes shone with worry, and her voice trembled with emotion.

Amethyst eyes locked unwaveringly onto green alien ones.

'Till the end, Starfire.'

With that, they both leaped over the edge and plummeted down towards the sanctuary and uncertainty.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note: **_ So recently I've been working on improving my stories, so some of you regular readers will find that I've updated the earliest chapters (1 and 2) and made some minor changes to give the story better flow. No changes in plot so, that's all well and good. _

_Starfire and Raven finally enter the sanctuary. But what horrors await them there? _

_**DISCLAIMER: **__ I still don't bloody own the TTs...sigh_

* * *

Beastboy took a deep breath, steadying the onslaught of worry coupled with whining from the Beast. He, Robin, and Cyborg were standing in the command cockpit. From the large circular windows they could see two purple clad figures drop down and swoop in the direction of the sanctuary.

But, to him it looked more like they were falling.

Falling..._._

_Beastboy took a deep breath to clear his mind. His body twitched nervously as he imagined the complex transformation he was attempting. For a while now, he had been thinking of the idea of recombining aspects of animals in an attempt to try some new. Something challenging. He had practiced a few times, but always found that he was unable to maintain the form for long. It was painful, more than usual to try combinations and he didn't want to strain his body too far. There was no point forcing himself. It would come naturally, sooner or later. _

_Suddenly, his shoulder blades expanded to gigantic proportions. They extended to form the large wings of the pterodactyl, but instead of keeping its leathery texture, feathers started sprouting on his wings. All the while he still largely maintained his human form. _

_But the pain was too much to bear. With a cry he fell to his knees and his shoulder blades contracted back to normal. Sweat poured from his body as the exertion had been difficult to endure. He gulped deep breaths, trying to steady himself. He felt a hand on his shoulder. _

'_It's okay BB,' said his best friend reassuringly. Cyborg flipped over a console in his arm and did a quick diagnostic sweep on his best friend. 'Vitals are a bit crazy but stabilizing.' He looked carefully at the changeling. 'How ya feeling?' _

_Beastboy only groaned and waved his hand. 'Gimme a sec,' he gasped. He took the towel Cyborg offered and wiped the sweat from his face and body. He heaved himself up from the floor. Cyborg was already waiting with a glass of water. Beastboy gulped all of it down, before wiping his mouth. _

'_Uhn...' he rubbed his aching shoulder blades. 'That hurts.' _

_Cyborg said nothing, but just gave his friend's shoulder a gentle squeeze. Suddenly, a red light bathed the gym and the Titan's alarm blared. Beastboy straightened up, the alarm serving as a good distraction to his aching back. He bent down to pick the top of his uniform. _

_Cyborg flipped open his communicator. Within seconds Starfire's cheerful voice rang out. 'Yes Cyborg?' _

'_Starfire, is Raven with you?'_

'_Yes...we are having the girl's day out.' _

'_Sorry to cut it short but we need you both. There's an alert.'_

'_Of course.' Starfire's tone instantly became serious. 'Send us the coordinates and we shall meet you there.' _

_In a few minutes the team converged at the point of disturbance. High atop one of Jump City's skyscrapers Cinderblock was wrecking havoc, pulling up chunks of rocks, and destroying the base of a large bill board. People screamed at the bottom as fatal pieces of debris rained down, smashing cars and the sidewalk. _

'_Dude...how the hell did he even get up there?' asked Beastboy incredulously. He skilfully dodged a rather large piece of rock. But, he would have been smashed with another if it wasn't suddenly encased in black energy. _

_Raven and Starfire landed quickly atop the roof. With a clenching of her raised fist, Raven crumbled the rock into dust. Beastboy wiped some of it off his uniform and looked at the empath. 'Hey Babe,' he said winking. _

_Raven rolled her eyes. 'What would you do without me?' _

'_Curl up in a corner and cry?'_

'_Sounds about right.' _

_A sonic blast from Cyborg interrupted their conversation. 'Just a suggestion for ya'll...' he panted heavily. 'WILL YOU STOP FLIRTING AND FIGHT!'_

_Beastboy couldn't answer as Cinderblock charged him. He leapt out of the way and morphed into a gorilla. Beating his chest, he blocked a blow from the villain and pushed him back violently. Jumping into the fray, Robin and Cyborg unleashed their dual attack, causing a mini explosion in Cinderblock's face. The villain roared in anger and threw random punches, momentarily blinded by the attack. _

_Raven turned around just as she heard a loud rip of metal. The bill board the behemoth had damaged now started to crumble and fall down on the pedestrians below. Without thinking, she ran to the skyscraper's side just as the sign fell down, plummeting to the earth. Flying over the edge, she reached out with her powers, halting the monumental sign's fall. It had already gathered immense speed and she strained to slow it down, attempting to land it gently, giving time for the police and bystanders to back away. _

_40 more stories..._

_She glanced over her shoulder. The team seemed to have Cinderblock preoccupied._

_20 more stories..._

_She grabbed a falling debris with her powers, adding to the strain on her focus. _

_10 more stories..._

'_RAVEN! WATCH OUT!' _

_Raven twisted her body as she heard Robin's warning, but it was too late. _

_A large chuck of rock Cinderblock had thrown collided with her side. Her head snapped back as a part of it clipped the side of her skull. Beastboy watched in horror as she lost consciousness and her body lost its ability to maintain flight. Ignoring the warning yells of the other Titan Beastboy took a running leap and jumped over the edge of the skyscraper. _

_He didn't even think about it. His body responded immediately to his command. He ignored the intense pain in his back as the transformation took place. All the while, the wind whipped all around him as gravity pulled him and Raven to the ground. With a burst of speed from his newly formed wings he stretched forward and grabbed her. _

_With a few feet to spare he pulled her into her arms and swooped up, narrowly missing smashing into the broken bill board sign that protruded up from the pavement. Dodging and twisting, he turned the direction of his flight and flew up as high as he could. _

_Higher and higher. _

_She was so light and limp in his arms. _

_He reached the top of the skyscraper but continued flying up. _

_Oh God, she was bleeding from the side of her head. _

_He flew above the clouds and finally stopped his ascent. His powerful wings easily held them both in midair. 'Raven...' he called her name. She was groaning now. Eyelids fluttered. A hand reached up to her head. The relief Beastboy felt was indescribable. _

'_Uhn...' Raven opened her eyes groggily. _

'_Oh thank God. Are you alright?' _

'_What happened?' Raven asked slowly. Her eyes opened a bit wider and she struggled a little. Her tone was filled with worry as she asked, 'The billboard...I didn't-'_

'_It's okay,' Beastboy reassured her. He slowly started flying away from the city, as he continued, 'you stopped it. But Cinderblock got a good shot at you. You're bleeding...I'm gonna take you to the Tower. You might wanna tell the others that, my hands are a bit tied up.' _

_For the first time Raven noticed exactly what was going on. Beastboy was flying...yet he was still in his human form. Her tone was one filled with surprise. She looked at his wings in shock. 'How are you doing that? I've never seen you shift like this before...'_

'_Cool huh? I've kinda been practising. I guess the situation demanded I be a bit...creative. I couldn't grab you as a pterodactyl without cutting you with my claws. You were falling too fast.' _

_She winced. For the moment, her sense of surprise at Beastboy's incredible shifting abilities was overshadowed by the pain that now blossomed around her entire head. A hand moved involuntarily to inspect the wound, and she wasn't happy to see her fingertips stained with blood. _

'_Ouch.' _

'_No kidding babe. You took quite a blow.' _

_She was quiet. She needed to conserve her energy to heal herself soon. As Beastboy continued flying, they soon saw the Tower in their line of vision. Beastboy tightened his grip on Raven before picking up some more speed. Raven took the time to observe his wings. She didn't show it right now, but she was truly impressed with his ingenuity. Somehow, he never failed to surprise her in his own little ways. _

_She fumbled for her communicator, but didn't find it. 'I can't find my comm. I think it must have dropped when Cinderblock knocked me out.' Beastboy swooped down and landed easily onto the Titan's roof. 'Don't worry about it. I'll call 'em once I get you to the medical bay.' He continued to carry her into the tower._

'_You can put me down Gar. I can walk,' she said softly. _

'_Humour me babe,' replied the changeling, without releasing his hold on her. He never let go until he finally arrived at the medical bay. He laid her gently on the hospital bed. He took a second to call the rest of the team to let them know they were back at the tower. As soon as he was done, Beastboy quickly gathered some sterilizer and cotton swabs. He moved back to Raven and perched on the side of the bed she lay on. _

_She had pulled back her hair, and Beastboy began to carefully cleanse the wound, wiping away the dirt and blood. He could now see that the injury looked worse than it really was. It was nothing Raven couldn't heal with a spell, but it didn't mean he couldn't take a second to take care of her. _

_It really wasn't her injury that had worried him. But it was the sight of her suddenly going limp and just go down that made his heart skip a beat. He knew there would be no way she would gain consciousness with enough time to pull herself out of her freefall. He knew he had to do something...__**anything,**__ to catch her. _

_So he did the one thing that came naturally. _

_In that moment of transformation, he had completely ignored the pain and made the wings not only sprout from his back, but he had held on. Held on for as long as it took to get her out of harm's way. And now, he could relax just a little. She was safe. _

_It was only after he finished attending to her wound that he saw she was looking at him with an unreadable expression on her face. Her eyes never left him, and felt himself squirm a little uncomfortably. Why was she looking at him like that? _

'_What?' he asked. He didn't bandage her forehead, knowing she'd heal herself soon enough. _

_She didn't speak immediately. One hand went to stroke his cheek softly, wiping away a streak of dust from his face. He glanced at her, and gave a small smile. _

'_Thank you Gar,' she said softly. Her hand cupped his face, and he immediately leaned into her touch. Her tone lost all its flatness. 'You saved me.' _

'_Rae,' he said. This time he looked at her directly. 'I'll always catch you when you fall.' _

Except this time, he wasn't there to catch her.

And it scared him to be so helpless. Beside him Robin stood, his eyes also following the female Titans. He looked at Beastboy, and put a reassuring hand on the green Titan's shoulder. 'It's never easy. But they're each strong in their own way. Together, they're unstoppable.'

Beastboy remained quiet, hoping that Robin would be right.

TTTTTTT

Starfire and Raven landed at the edge of the sanctuary's enclosure. The thickness of the sanctuary's wall was a stark reminder to Raven that such precautions were a necessity to keep something inside. She studied the wall and approached it curiously. Although it seemed like it was made out of stone, there was a light sheen whenever the sunlight hit it at a certain angle. She touched it, and wasn't surprised only by the fact that it felt cool and metallic to touch, but rather that she could barely keep her hand on it. She tried again, but every time her hand just slipped off, as if the entire surface was slick with oil.

'It is constructed by a material from outside of this planet,' said Starfire coming to stand beside Raven. 'Imported from one of our trading partners in the Beluga System. Quiet ingenious. I believe even your physicist on Earth would be very interested in it. Its molecular structure is one of the most ordered in this part of the universe. It allows almost zero friction. Nothing can attach to it and climb up.'

'Interesting,' Raven droned.

Suddenly, they both whipped around as a loud alien roar was emitted from the depths of the sanctuary's thick vegetation. After waiting for an anxious few moments, they started their journey to the centre. The foliage was thick and seemed to cling to them. It made navigating through the jungle difficult and exhausting. Raven clenched her teeth in silent frustration. Even before the heat of the 2 suns had beat down on them, she was already tired from swinging at the leaves with her swords, trying to cut a path for themselves. For the first time, Raven was glad for her demonic genes that made her highly resistant to extreme heat.

Several times throughout Starfire would suddenly gesture her to be quiet. Raven would stop, and tense, her black energy encasing her hands and feet to provide extra power should they be attacked. Again she cursed her inability to send out a mental probe. It would have been helpful to at least have an idea where the smaller, worker _ghulyaloks_ were. But then again, they really didn't want to attract any attention to their location, so maybe it was a good thing Starfire was being over cautious.

For the most part the jungle was quiet. There was the occasional groan, a distant roar, and a high-pitched chirping. The chirping reminded Raven of the sound of crickets. But, thankfully, no _ghulyaloks..._not yet. A few hours into their journey, they stopped by a small clearing. It was hard to have to complete this stage with no food or water, but it was both the girls' plan to finish before the night. For now, there was little they could do except push through and ignore the gnawing in their stomachs.

Raven grumbled inwardly. All this running, hiding, and crouching in complete stillness. This was all second nature to Robin. Raven was excellent at stealth, but she didn't necessarily like staying in the shadows all the time. She preferred facing her enemies head on, and taking them down quickly and precisely. But, right now, she was completely dependent on Starfire. The plan the alien princess had devised would be the one that _land'ha_ law decreed had to be followed. The only thing Raven had done in the early stages was make suggestions, but the final say was always Starfire's.

Right now there was little more the empath could do but have complete trust in her best friend. Nothing less would suffice at this stage. Her survival depended on it.

Raven leaned against a tree, as she watched Starfire take out the familiar hologram device. She closed her eyes, letting the alien princess plot the rest of the journey. The thickness of the jungle was not something they had anticipated, and it greatly hampered their pace. It was with a little disappointment Starfire saw by their location on the screen. A frown creased her smooth brow. Their progress was not as good as she had hoped. And flying would be too risky as it offered no cover. Any lurking _ghulyaloks_ would spot them easily and it would only be a matter of minutes before they would be swamped. The jungle offered a certain degree of invisibility, and that would be their only advantage. The _ghulyaloks_ may be rumoured to be blind, but there was no need to test that theory so early. In any case, the jungle would also serve to somewhat mask their scent.

Raven opened her eyes when she heard a shuffling sound from Starfire. She saw that Starfire suddenly gripped her spear. It looked like she was straining her ears, trying desperately to hear something. But, Raven couldn't hear anything.

'Do you hear that?' asked Starfire, glancing over her shoulder at her friend.

Raven took a second to listen, her head cocked to one side. 'I don't hear anything,' she said at length. There was a slight hint of confusion in her signature flat tone.

'Exactly'

TTTTTTTTT

Galfore frowned. A large hand ran through his thick red beard. Across the table Robin, Cyborg and Beastboy sat in silence, waiting for a reaction from the large Tamaranian. He shuffled through the papers and satellite images that were spread before him on the large table. He even had the charred piece of metal that Starfire had recovered from Yavnor. Cyborg and Beastboy shared a nervous glance. What was Galfore thinking?

Finally, he cleared his throat.

'It is possible,' he said slowly, fingering the charred metal, 'that you may be right.'

The boys let out a silent sigh of relief. Having the support of the Grand Ruler would be advantageous.

'Based on the maps and the images from Yavnor, it seems to me that somebody bore a hole right through to the depths of Yavnor. This trail,' he pointed to the black line Starfire had pointed out to them all, 'was not there before. I distinctly recall its absence from previous scans. It is something that was made recently. And, you see this?' he now grasped the charred metal, drawing everyone's attention to it. 'This is part of a highly destructive explosive device. I recently had some tests conducted to prove its identity. It is distinctive to our military arsenal. What is suspicious is how it even got to Yavnor. Due to its sheer destructive strength, it would be extremely difficult if not completely impossible to find any such explosive device without proper authorization.'

'Black market, maybe?' offered Robin.

'I am sorry. I do not understand that term.'

'Maybe it was obtained illegally,' Robin rephrased himself. 'Is it possible it could have be smuggled or stolen from one of your military campaigns around the galaxy? Modified perhaps to set off Yavnor?'

Galfore was silent, digesting what the Earthling had said. 'Yes,' he finally said slowly. 'Quite possible. It can explain how Yavnor started to quake and spew black smoke. I had extensive tectonic research conducted before Koriand'r was to arrive, since I did not want her to be put in danger. Our study results strongly suggested that Yavnor was not meant to cause any natural calamity.'

'Yet, both she and Raven almost got caught in a rock slide,' said Beastboy.

'Somebody knew Starfire was headed that way. Knew she'd be in that exact place and that exact time. Yavnor blowin' up right when they got there was _**not**_ a coincidence Galfore,' added Cyborg.

'It all points to a set up. Somebody was trying to purposefully thwart the _land'ha_. First they tried an ambush, which failed miserably. Then, they used an explosive device to try to unbalance the tectonic activity of Yavnor, and they succeeded to an alarming degree,' Robin said. 'The girls were lucky the explosion caused an earthquake and not a massive volcano eruption. _That _would have probably killed them both,' he added quietly.

Silence followed. Everyone knew Robin was right.

'Now the question is,' said Cyborg, 'what is Bolkasin and Col'tek's connection to this?'

Galfore looked at the cybernetic man with a look of confusion of his face. 'You think one of them is responsible for it?'

Robin frowned. 'I thought Starfire mentioned that to you.'

'She did, but I did not think she was referring to the _land'ha_. I thought she was talking about the possible coup.'

Beastboy snorted. Three pairs of eyes locked onto him as soon as the sound escaped his mouth. He stilled. 'I'm sorry. I could have sworn you just said coup.'

'I did,' Galfore said tonelessly.

The Titan males exchanged glances. This was news to them.

'She never said anything to me,' said Robin. His tense tone betrayed his annoyance at being kept in the dark about such an important thing. 'I presume you warned her about that before she came to Tamaran?'

Galfore nodded. 'She has been gone for many years. There was bound to be some loose talk upon her return. I suspected something would happen upon her arrival. I told her so beforehand, that her coming back would cause some...minor issues.'

'A coup is not a minor issue Galfore,' said Cyborg.

Galfore's piercing gaze locked onto him. 'I am well aware of that. Starfire informed me about the assassination attempt. I gave her my _kaw'tha_ I would find the _chlorbag_ _vostenbar _responsible and bring them to justice.'

'Guys,' interrupted Beastboy in an attempt to dispel the tension, 'we're missing the main point here. Getting back on track...what's Bolkasin and Col'tek got to do with all this?'

There was another period of silence in the room as everybody became quiet. Only the distant hum of the ship's engines could be heard. At length, Galfore spoke, 'I do not know. There seems to be no tangible link between the two cases. Why do you even suspect there is a connection?' Galfore asked, posing this question to Robin.

Robin simply shrugged. 'Call it human intuition. There's something not right about those two. One of them is up to no good. I just haven't figured out who. And everything is unravelling at the same time. Whispers of a possible coup right when the princess come back...secret conversations between two influential Ku'ya members...it's all starting to come to light. Just not as quickly as we would like it all to.'

Suddenly there was knock on the door.

'Who is interrupting my meeting?' boomed Galfore in English. 'Did I not specifically issue an order not to be disturbed?'

'My apologies, Grand Ruler,' came the deep smooth voice of Col'tek. Beastboy couldn't repress the frown on his face. 'But I thought you and the Titans would like to know that we have made visual contact via our cameras. We can watch the princess and her bondho continue the rest of the trials.'

Galfore straightened in his chair. 'Thank you, we shall join you immediately.'

Without wasting a second, the male Titans got up and quickly started gathering the papers strewn across the table. They packed them away into Robin's sealed case for safety. They all exited the room, exchanging civil greetings with Col'tek. They briskly followed the large frame of the Grand Ruler as he took them through to the telecom room.

TTTTTTTT

Raven strained her ears for any sound, but Starfire was right. No roars, no rustling leaves. Not even any chirping noise. There was deadly silence that weighed down on them. Starfire shifted the spear from one hand to another. She looked at the empath and Raven could see the worry in her eyes. 'We must go. Now.'

Raven got up and quickly joined Starfire in once again entering the thick jungle. This time, Starfire used her spear to cut through the foliage.

_Swipe..._walk..._swipe..._walk.

This monotonous action continued for a while. For a second, Raven forgot that they weren't alone.

It was a mistake that would cost her dearly.

Starfire stabbed at what looked like a very thick vine. Neither of them expected to hear the alien roar they had heard before. At such close proximity, it was ear-splittingly painful. Any creature within miles would now easily hear their location. The injured creature jumped down in primal fury, intent on exacting its revenge. Starfire and Raven leaped out of the way. Both of them adopted their fighting stance, facing the creature.

Raven knew instantly that this was the _ghulyalok_.

It was monstrously large, easily close to 2 meters tall. It was a dirty white shade with blotches of brown and pink scattered across its segmented body. It had 6 long legs that ended in sharp claws. With bulging yellow eyes, it turned its large head back and forth. Starfire and Raven exchanged a quick glance. They could clearly see the creature was injured. Starfire had quite neatly cut off one of its limbs. But, it seemed to be confused, shaking its head to and fro, never looking at them directly. It opened its gigantic mouth, and a pair of mandible jaws literally fell out, covered in a healthy coat of dirty blue saliva. It dropped with a loud thud onto the jungle floor, shaking the earth beneath the girls' feet. Yet, it remained in place. Raven's grip on her sword tightened, and Starfire's spear was poised directly in its direction. Why wasn't it attacking them?

_Oh of course! _

Realization struck Raven.

'They're blind.'

Raven's relief at the myth being true was indescribable. But, it was short-lived. The _ghulyalok_ craned its neck up, and started making the chirping noise they had heard for the last few hours. They hadn't realized, all the while they had tried being stealthy cut quickly through the jungle, they were being followed.

Within seconds, answering high-pitched chirps could be heard. Raven cursed. She and Starfire moved in unison, so now their backs were pressed together. Starfire faced the injured _ghulyalok_ while Raven watched in horror as three more _ghulyaloks _ appeared with alarming speed.

They were surrounded.

'Am I the only one getting a sense of de ja vu?' Raven whispered.

Starfire ignored her question. She was watching the _ghulyaloks_. Heads bobbed back and forth. Bulging yellow eyes sought the source of disturbance. Chirping amongst them ensued. Starfire spoke in a low voice, watching as the _ghulyaloks_ started circling them. 'They cannot see us. That is our only advantage. I shall-'

Suddenly, Raven felt Starfire sweep her legs from under her, causing the empath fall to her side. Raven cried out in surprise, especially when she saw the _ghulyalok_ land exactly where she had been standing seconds ago. Without hesitation, Starfire twirled her spear and drove it into the creature, impaling it. Raven jumped to her feet, powers encasing her legs and hands. She blocked the arms of one of the _ghulyaloks_ before driving a foot into what she hoped was a weak spot. Without waiting to see if she was successful , she slashed with her swords, noting with satisfaction that they easily cut through the _ghulyalok's_ body. That was a good thing.

She leaped out of the way as another one jumped in her direction. But, Raven couldn't react in time as it landed on Starfire, pushing the Tamaranian face first into the dirt. With a running leap, Raven jumped onto the _ghulyalok's_ back, using her long swords to dig into it. It reared back in pain, limbs clawing at the air, unable to twist around. Starfire took the opportunity to blast it unconscious with a starbolt.

Raven barely had time to pick up out of the creatures back before they heard more chirping and roars. So much for stealth. They had only one choice now.

'RUN!' yelled Starfire.

There was no time for delicacy. Starfire and Raven worked together, using their combined energy beams to burn a path. They ignored the sounds around them, neither daring to look back. They could only move forward. They ran like they had never run before. Suddenly, a ghulyalok landed right in their path, forcing both of them to come to a skidding halt. They both dodge it as it leaped, mandibles clamping, claws extended, in their general direction. Raven hit it with her energy bolt causing it to crash land.

Starfire moved in front of her, back towards the empath, protecting her. She didn't glance at the empath. 'Run. I will catch up with you.'

'I'm not leaving you alone.'

'This is not a request Raven. It is an order.'

'Screw your orders!'

Eyes flashing Starfire turned around towards Raven. Grabbing her around the shoulders she gave her a violent shove, throwing Raven a good many yards away. Raven tumbled through the undergrowth, before finally coming to a stop. She got up to her feet groggily, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

_Damn it Starfire!_

She could see the alien princess facing off three _ghulyaloks. _Raven cried out Starfire's name, and was about to run back to her, when Starfire screamed at her. 'I told you to run! NOW!

'Star, I can't leave you!'

Raven dodged a large green starbolt the Tamaranian threw in her general direction.

'DO IT!' she yelled at the top of her lungs.

It was at that second Raven found herself torn. She was being forced against her will to make the most difficult decision in her life. There was no controlling the raw emotion in her now, as she watched the Tamaranian engage the creatures in a deadly battle. Starfire had issued an order. At this stage of the _land'ha_, Raven was bound by royal decree to do exactly was she had been commanded.

No one gave a damn about the torment it would cause her. She couldn't control the tear that now rolled down the curve of her cheek. She closed her eyes, knowing she had to compose herself for the choice she was about to make.

Raven turned around and ran.


	15. Chapter 15

Raven wasn't sure how long she had been running. She didn't doubt it could have been hours. The Tamaranian suns that had been bearing down so unyieldingly had crept across the sky. The heat was not as bad as it had been earlier. In the back of her mind, she realized that it was almost time for her to seek some shelter. Out here in the open, with the _ghulyaloks _on her trail, she wouldn't survive the night.

Yet, the exhaustion was overwhelming. Unable to continue, she fell to her knees on the jungle floor. She wiped the sweat and dirt off her face. She was gasping for breath, her nails digging into the ground. There was a tightness in her chest, making it difficult to breathe. Her shoulders hunched over, and her head hung low. Unable to throw up, she simply dry heaved. She wiped the dribble from her mouth, still gasping. It took all her concentration to tame her emotions. A slight slip and the trees surrounding her would be flattened, the ground beneath her would crack, and she would lose the tenacious hold of control she had. Rage scraped at the back of her psyche, yearning...begging for release. But she mustn't, _couldn't,_ give in for Starfire's sake.

Starfire.

Her best friend. Her sister.

Raven barely held back the tears. She had abandoned her. Left her to the mercy of the jungle and the ravenous _ghulyaloks_. Left her like a pathetic coward. Raven felt a wave of disgust wash over her. She was supposed to be the bondho, the loyal comrade. At the very thought of this, Raven could feel the bile rise in her throat. A bitter taste filled her mouth.

Raven spat on the ground.

Loyal comrade. Those words felt like a lie coming from her lips. As far as Raven was concerned, she didn't deserve that title. The feelings of guilt were mixed with fury. Raven closed her eyes, beating back the wave of anger. When she opened her eyes, she struggled not to open four. But the rage didn't die away. She looked up at the Tamaranian airship she and Starfire had been on hours before. In her current state, it seemed like an eternity ago.

'Damn you!' she cried out vehemently at the ship. She didn't care if anybody or creature heard her or not. 'Damn your insipid rules! Your outdated laws!' She pointed viciously at the ship, as if somebody was listening to her words. 'You are nothing but cowards! You hide behind your decrees and your traditions! You pick and chose to your own convenience, using your rules as excuses, never caring about the consequences! You are nothing but hypocrites!'

Raven had had enough. Her patience was withering.

'I will find her,' she said, her voice hardening with resolve. 'And when I do, you'll know what a _terrible _mistake you've made.' This wasn't directed at the Council of Ku'ya. This was aimed at the traitor. The one, who, for all Raven knew, was on the ship. The one who had nearly killed them both at Yavnor. The one who, right now, was plotting Starfire's downfall.

Raven stood up straight. In true testimony to her intelligence and foresight, Starfire had made a back-up plan. While they had ideally hoped to finish this part before nightfall, Starfire had still plotted ahead for extra time. Raven looked up at the unfamiliar constellation of stars. They had studied them extensively for days, and like Earth, the stars could serve as a useful tool for navigation. If Raven's memory was correct, and it almost always was, based on her current position she was probably an hour's hike away from some underground caves. They would be ideal to provide her with shelter, giving her enough time to think of her next move. She closed her eyes for a second. She was so tired. Her head lolled to the side. Body swayed...

_Raven bit into a ripe red apple. Her eyes left the confusing chart of star constellations and moved onto a map of the sanctuary. She chewed slowly, mulling over Starfire's plan. They had only arrived from Yavnor the day before, but Starfire had taken the free week before the second part of the trial to jump headlong into preparations. Maps, satellite images, and the chronicles of the previous And'rs who had ventured into the sanctuary lay on the table before them. _

_She swallowed her mouthful before saying, 'Alright. These caves are our only hope of enduring the night, if we can't finish before dark.'_

'_Correct,' said Starfire. She was pouring over some notes she had taken. _

'_So who made those caves? Were they artificially created when the sanctuary was being constructed?' _

_Starfire hesitated a moment. 'Nau.' _

_Raven pinched the bridge of her nose. That left only one other explanation. 'So the ghulyaloks made them?' _

'_That is the current theory. Nobody was there to see them make the caves, but since they are the only creatures to inhabit the sanctuary, it is probably the correct assumption.' _

'_Azar,' Raven breathed quietly. 'So our only hope of survival is in the den of creatures we're trying to avoid.'_

Raven's head snapped up when she heard a distant roar. Raven just barely heard quiet chirping. She cursed. The foul creatures were back on her trail, she had no choice but to continue. Since she and Starfire had been forced to separate, she had been lucky enough to face only two _ghulyaloks_ individually. She had defeated them, but hadn't escaped unscathed. An ugly gash ran across her leg, and Raven knew it would leave a scar if she didn't heal it soon. But, right now, in the middle of the _land'ha_ her only option had been to stop the bleeding, and ignore the pain.

Her progress had been slow. The thick jungle had made her arms grow tired from the constant slashing. The lack of water and food had started to take its toll on her strength. And it didn't help that she had to stop frequently when the pain in her leg was too hard to ignore. She tried swallowing, but her mouth was raw and dry. More than hunger, it was her thirst that bothered her the most.

Slowly, nightfall settled down on Tamaran. Raven picked up her pace as much as possible in her current condition. She was relieved when she tumbled into a small clearing. A couple of yards ahead of her, she saw the mouth of several caves. Her observant amethyst eyes quickly registered everything around her. Judging from the growth of the thick undergrowth, it was easy to see that nothing had come here in a very long time. Any creature the size of the _ghulyaloks_ would have been unable to travel uninhibited, without leaving signs of their coming and goings. She looked at the ground, trying to see any tracks. Without any moonlight or light of any kind for that matter, it was hard to observe the ground, but Raven wasn't taking any chances.

She limped slowly over to the caves. It was so dark she could barely make out anything. Her attention went back to the jungle when she heard loud snapping of tree branches. Before she could react, a force yanked her into the cave.

Raven's hands went around immediately, clawing at her attacker. Strong arms quickly grabbed her wrists, pinning them tightly against her body. It took a second for her to register the slender hand that covered her mouth, the tanned arms that held her close, the familiar warmth of the body that pressed against her.

'Ssssh! You must be quiet!'

At the sound of the voice, Raven nearly cried in happiness. In all their years, of all the hugs she had received from the Tamaranian, Raven had never before been so relieved to be held in Starfire's arms. But, with her back pressed tightly against Starfire's chest, and judging from the Tamaranian steely grip, they were not completely out of danger.

They were close to the mouth of the cave, but deep enough to be covered by the shadows. Raven's hitched breath matched Starfire's. Leaning against her best friend, she watched as a large group of _ghulyaloks_ tumbled ungracefully from the forest. They must have been following her trail. Yellow bulging eyes looked blindly around, clearly confused. The creatures chirped amongst themselves.

Raven stilled. Starfire's hand still pressed against her mouth, but at this moment she didn't bother saying anything. Starfire's ragged breathing filled her ears. The alien princess still gripped the empath tightly against herself. They both watched with bated breaths as it seemed the _ghulyaloks_ could neither hear nor smell them properly. To their collective relief, they ambled back towards the jungle, making loud crashing noises, and letting lose the occasional roar.

As the last creature was enveloped by the darkness, Starfire let out a silent relieved sigh. She removed her hand from Raven's mouth, and loosened her grip a little. Raven was about to turn around, when suddenly a thick, warm gooey liquid dripped down, inches from their shoulders.

'What the hell-'

They looked up at the same time to see a _ghulyalok's_ mandible jaw snapping in their direction.

TTTTTTTT

Cyborg nearly fell from his chair.

For hours now, members of the Ku'ya, Galfore, and the Titan males had be glued to the screen watching every move of the princess and her bondho. It had been hard to completely see things due to the thick foliage, and the sound wasn't all too clear either. Yet there was no mistaking the battle cry of Starfire. Beastboy strained his eyes as he watched the video, trying his best to make out Raven among the vegetation. Watching the girls fight off the _ghulyaloks_ all by themselves while they sat safely miles high was excruciating. It took all his will power not to jump down and help them both.

But he kept his composure to the best of his abilities. His self-control nearly broke when he saw Starfire push Raven violently away. He watched Starfire fight the _ghulyaloks _with a ferocity that could only be described as animalistic. She didn't escape completely unharmed, several times getting slashed at, but she held her ground, and defeated them. The camera focused only on the princess for now, so Beastboy was left in the dark for the next few hours, wondering what happened to the empath.

It was only when Cyborg reached over carefully to grip his wrist, that it distracted Beastboy's mind from going over worst case scenarios. He frowned at his best friend as Cyborg only looked down. Beastboy followed his gaze, and his eyes widened in surprise. Unconsciously, his fingers had morphed into sharp claws, and in his deep worry over Raven, he had clawed through the arms of the chair. Swallowing, he morphed his hands back to normal. He let out a deep breath and mouthed a silent thanks to his best friend. Clasping his hands tightly together, he put his attention back to the video feed.

He watched as Starfire used her training to skilfully avoid any more attacks. She arrived at a shallow stream that flowed through the depths of the jungle. She washed the dirt and grime from her face, before drinking thirstily from the stream. After satisfying her thirst, she used a green-flamed hand to pain-stakingly hollow out a large stone, before dipping it into the stream to gather the liquid. She carried it with her all the way, careful not to drop a spill, to a group of caves. Due to the angle, the camera couldn't follow her into the cave, but they watched her come out again, spear gripped tightly in hand. The worry etched on her face mirrored that of Beastboy's. The question was on both their minds.

_Where is Raven?_

They watched Starfire venture back into the jungle, clearly searching for a trail, for a clue, for..._anything,_ to let her know where Raven was, but she was unsuccessful. The Beast's whining reached a frenzied peak, and it was all Beastboy could do to not fidget in his seat. None of the Titans or Galfore took any breaks as they watched Starfire. Meals were brought to them, but Beastboy had no appetite. He continued gazing as Starfire finally went back to the caves at dusk, dejection clear in her every movement.

Near nightfall, he realized there was a God that took pity on him as an exhausted Raven finally approached the cave. Starfire grabbed her into the security of the shadows, moments before a pursuing group of _ghulyaloks _tumbled through. Back on the ship, they could make out large segmented body shapes, but in the darkness very little details could be seen. Everybody at the viewing room watched the creatures head back into jungle, crashing and breaking trees along the way. Just then, Beastboy saw the drool fall from the cave roof, and the girls visibly stiffen before simultaneously looking up.

The thick vegetation had made it hard for the camera to get a clear shot of the _ghulyaloks._ From the glimpses Beastboy caught, he could tell this creature was big, but moved quite agilely when the situation demanded it. Now, an opportunity presented itself for everybody in the viewing room to get a good view of the animal. All eyes focused on the video feed. As the creature dropped down into full view of the camera, every single person leaned forward in their chair, getting a proper look at this creature of their legends.

It was at this point the cybernetic teen had nearly fallen from his chair.

'Holy shit!'

'X'hal' breathed Galfore, his eyes widening.

TTTTTTTT

Neither female Titan moved. Or breathed for that matter.

The _ghulyalok _too stopped moving. But its open mouth still dribbled the foul smelling drool near the girls. Its large head lolled from side to side. Sensing nothing the creature leaped off the roof of the cave and outside. Like the others before it, it ambled awkwardly back into the dark jungle, chirping along the way.

Starfire and Raven waited a good few minutes in their tense position before finally collapsing onto the ground. Raven lay on the floor, while Starfire leaned heavily against the cave wall. Tilting her head over to the alien princess, Raven could see the scars from her recent battles etched on her arms and stomach. She shifted over so that she too now leaned next to Starfire.

In a move that surprised her more that it did the Tamaranian, Raven placed a hand on Starfire's shoulder. Starfire said nothing, as the hand dropped down to envelope her own. Slender fingers entwined in a gesture of quiet affection. In the murky darkness of the Tamaranian night, there was no visible difference between the pale grey or orange tanned skin.

'I'm glad you're okay,' said Raven, her normally flat tone laced with emotion. She gave her friend's hand a gentle squeeze.

'The feeling is mutual,' replied Starfire, a tired smile gracing her lips.

A silence descended on them both, as they sat quietly. The only sound was of their laboured breathing. It was while before Raven said softly, 'I'm sorry Star. I'm so tired...I can barely move.'

Starfire nodded her head. 'I understand.' Her eyes feel down to the scar on Raven's inner thigh. Concern flashed across her face as she inspected the wound closer. Raven was still bleeding, which could explain why she was starting to feel exhausted. Raven cried out in pain, when Starfire gently examined the wound.

'I need to stop the bleeding,' said Starfire. She quickly moved a hand to support Raven's neck as it lolled to the side.

'How?' asked Raven weakly.

Carefully Starfire, showed Raven her other hand. Two fingers were lit up with her green energy. Raven struggled a little when she saw what Starfire was suggesting. Even in her state, Raven knew this wasn't the best idea. There was the possibility of infection setting in. She wasn't sure how long before they'd finish. Would it be enough time to heal herself afterwards?

'You'll cauterize it?'

Starfire nodded. 'It is the only way to stop the bleeding. We have no supplies. What else is there to do?'

Raven was silent. For a second, Starfire was worried she had become unconscious. A pained groan escaped the empath's lips. Amethyst eye that was glazed over in pain moments before suddenly focused on her own green ones.

'Do it.'

Without further ado, Starfire pushed a piece of bark into Raven's mouth before pressing the glowing fingers onto the wound, searing the flesh shut. The smell of burning flesh filled Starfire's nostrils. Raven bit down on the piece of wood Starfire gave her, barely managing to keep herself from screaming. Within seconds, Starfire was done, and Raven opened her eyes. Starfire removed the bark from her friend's mouth. Raven spat onto the ground.

'Ouch.'

Starfire gave a small laugh. Picking Raven up in her arms she moved slightly deeper into the cave, affording them a bit more protection. Raven noted with relief a deep hollowed piece of rock that contained some sort of liquid.

'Is that-'

'No, it is not water,' interrupted Starfire. 'But it is an acceptable substitute. Fluids are more important that solid food at the moment. At least, in terms of human physiology...am I correct?'

_Azar bless her. _

'Yes,' said Raven.

Starfire handed her the liquid, which Raven grabbed out of her hands. She greedily took a few deep swallows. It tasted unlike anything Raven had drank before. It was indescribable, as was the relief from her parched throat. Raven quickly controlled herself. They both needed to drink later on, so she handed back the liquid to Starfire and wiped her mouth.

'Better?' asked Starfire, taking a sip herself.

'Much. Thank you.'

Raven winched slightly, before unstrapping her swords from her back. She leaned heavily against the cave wall. She let out a deep sigh, looking out the mouth of the cave. Here in the cave's depths, she could no longer see the night sky, only the dark jungle. She rubbed her arms, and a shiver ran up her body. The coolness of the night was starting to seep in. She groaned inwardly.

Seeing her discomfort, Starfire quickly lit a pitifully small flame with a few spare twigs. They could not risk making a big fire in case it got the attention of the _ghulyaloks_. Raven still looked paler than usual. Seeing her best friend in discomfort wasn't easy for Starfire. She went to Raven's side, and stretched out beside her.

Starfire saw Raven watch her with wary eyes as the Tamaranian rubbed her hands together before wrapping the pale girl in an embrace. It worried Starfire how cold Raven felt. She knew it wasn't a good thing.

'What are you doing?' asked Raven. She wasn't used to such prolonged close contact with Starfire.

'Watch.' Starfire said softly. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath.

In a second, Raven felt a warm heat emanating for the Tamaranian. She couldn't control the soft moan as she snuggled closer to Starfire, resting her head on the alien princess' shoulder. 'For now,' said Starfire softly, letting her energy warm Raven, 'we shall rest. Neither of us are in any condition to continue.'

But Raven had already fallen asleep.

Starfire said nothing more. She didn't move in the slightest so as not to disturb Raven. Letting her own eyes drift close, she too succumbed to the exhaustion taking over her body.

TTTTTTTT

Beastboy splashed some water onto his face. The cold water was helpful in driving away some of the sleep from his eyes. He yawned and leaned heavily against the small sink. He wiped his face tiredly. After nightfall Cyborg had been forced to leave them as he needed to charge himself. He still made Robin and Beastboy, who remained behind to continue watching over the girls, promise to wake him should anything happen.

He and Robin were both reluctant to sleep for the night least anything should happen to their girlfriends. Beastboy had agreed to take the first shift, letting his leader take a much needed break. Beastboy didn't say anything, but from Robin's stooped shoulders, and heavy voice, it was obvious that he too felt the strain of separation from Starfire. And Beastboy didn't doubt that Starfire keeping the coup a secret had dealt a harsh blow to the Boy Wonder. Theirs too was a volatile relationship, one filled with its share of ups and downs.

As his mind was preoccupied with these thoughts, he exited his bathroom and walked back to the viewing room. Beastboy's eyes fell on the figure that snored softly near the back of the room. Robin had not gone back to his chambers, but instead lay stretched out on a nearby couch, dozing lightly. Beastboy turned back to the video. With a little convincing, Galfore had agreed to lower the ship's altitude slightly. It was enough for the camera to now focus onto the two figures that now huddled together at the back of the cave.

Beastboy's gaze softened slightly as he took in the sleeping form of Raven. She leaned against Starfire, her head supported by the alien princess' shoulder. His heart had caught in his throat when he heard Raven's scream as Starfire cauterized her wound. He was worried that an infection would set in. The only way for her to get better would be for them to finish the _land'ha_ as soon as possible so she could heal herself. But now, she was getting some well deserved rest.

Only time could tell if they would finish by tomorrow.

Beastboy moved back and gently shook awake Robin. It didn't take long, and the Titan leader was quickly on his feet.

'Any problems?' he asked, as he fixed his dishevelled hair, adjusting the mask on his face.

'Nothing so far. They're still sleeping.'

Robin sighed. Beastboy laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. 'Don't worry dude. They've gotten so far solely on their skills and determination. They're gonna make it.' Robin smiled slightly. He fingered the engagement ring that still dangled around his neck. 'I don't doubt that for a second,' he said, his eyes on the video screen, watching his fiancée.

A serious expression crossed Beastboy's face. He knew what was going through Robin's mind. 'We'll find the bastards that are trying to hurt them. And we'll make them pay. Titan style.'

'I'm with you there bro,' smirked Robin.

Robin sat down at the table, signalling the beginning of his shift watching over Starfire and Raven as Beastboy took his turn to stretch on the couch. Another large yawn, a little shifting around on the couch, and it was his turn to try and get a bit of sleep.

As his body slowly gave into the clutches of slumber, his mind drifted, as it usually did onto Raven.

_Beastboy really wasn't into birthdays. Growing up, there had only been a few small celebrations when his parents had been alive. And then it had been pretty much non-existent when he was with the Doom Patrol. The safety of the world mattered more that personal holidays. Villains didn't take days off, Steve had said. So why should they? Rita had tried a few times. Some cake here, a few comics there, and some amazing toys should the opportunity present itself. _

_So it was understandable that the desire to celebrate wasn't really something he looked forward to eagerly. Sure, he had been more than happy to hack the Titan mainframe to find out Raven's, but that had been for unselfish reasons. He found little reason to celebrate now. He had only indulged Starfire and Cyborg. She had done the decorations while Cyborg, albeit grudgingly, made predominantly vegan dishes. _

'_God...' said Cyborg forlornly, poking at his potato salad, 'the sacrifices I make for family,' _

_Beastboy rolled his eyes. 'You know, you should eat vegan food more often. It's actually pretty damn good.' _

'_Speak for yourself BB. I can't turn into a damn goat to live off grass.' He gestured exaggeratingly at his large physique. 'This don't come from drinking your nasty soy milk,' _

_Before Beastboy could answer, Cyborg's food suddenly blew right in his face, splattering only him with potato salad and tofu. He wiped the offending food, a expression of shock on his face. 4 pairs of eyes swivelled to focus on Raven. _

_Ignoring them, Raven took a dainty bite of her food. Chewing it carefully, she swallowed it after a length of time, before saying far too innocently, 'Wasn't me.' _

_Robin stifled a laugh, and Starfire giggled behind her hand. Cyborg was left spluttering like an idiot about grass stains with half-demon girlfriends as bodyguards. Beastboy grin stretched from one ear to the other. Sometimes, Raven was the best. Hands down. _

_Dinner was followed by presents. $300 from Robin, a beautifully hand-stitched sweater from Starfire (Where did she even learn stitching from?), the complete box set of Dexter series from Cyborg, and...nothing but silence from his girlfriend. His ears wilted slightly. Had she not gotten anything for him? _

_He scolded himself mentally. Raven was trying hard at their relationship as it was. This was their first birthday celebration as a couple. Surely this time, he could afford her some slack. After all, it was just his birthday. It wasn't meant to be celebrated anyway. He didn't care...right? _

_So why did it hurt when she did nothing but peck him on the cheek, and drone a 'Happy Birthday Gar'? _

_God damn complicated emotions. _

_He was a bit caught off guard then, when the elevator doors opened to the residence floor of the Titan's tower, and he found Raven leaning against the wall. She straightened up as soon as she saw him, and in spite of himself, Beastboy found himself smile at her. _

'_Hey Raven.' _

'_Gar, I have something I need to show you.' _

'_What is it?' he asked curiously. _

'_Come to my room and I'll show you,' she answered enigmatically. _

_He followed her without another word to her room. He was a bit worried it was something sinister, judging by the slight scent of anxiety he got from her. Maybe that was why she didn't get him anything. She had been preoccupied with more important things. _

_Once they reached her room, she gestured to her bed. 'Sit.' _

_Beastboy obeyed. 'Is everything alright Rae? You seem a bit...worried about something.' _

_She didn't reply. Opening her chest of drawers she took out a carefully wrapped parcel. She took a deep breath before walking over and handing it to him. 'Happy birthday Gar. I hope you like it.' _

_Beastboy beamed a happy smile. So, she hadn't forgotten after all. _

_She seemed to have read his mind. 'Did you really think I'd forget?' _

'_No...I just thought, you had...I dunno...something better...to do...' he said quietly. He felt a little guilty now. _

'_Not when you're concerned Gar,' she said softly but firmly. Her tone changed to one of lightness. 'Well? Open it.' _

_Beastboy didn't need to be told twice. He eagerly ripped open the wrapping paper, and his eyes widened just a little bit. _

_Raven scuffed her boot self consciously on the carpet. 'I heard you talking about it a few days back with Cyborg. You mentioned you hadn't read Watchmen yet, and wanted to before seeing the movie. You sounded pretty excited so I thought...what the hell? I needed some help in the gift buying department anyway, and wasn't sure Starfire would be the best source.' _

_Beastboy flipped a page as Raven continued. 'It's a rare edition. One of the first that was actually published in the 80's. Took a bit of work and lots of emails to random people around the world, but I found it. And in mint condition too.' _

'_I can see that. Babe this is awesome! I-' _

_Suddenly Beastboy stopped speaking as he looked at the inscription on the inner cover of the comic. Hadn't Raven seen this? Somebody scammed her into thinking it was in excellent condition. But then, he took a second to read what was written, and his mouth fell open._

_**To Garfield Logan,**_

_**Hope you have many hours of happy reading. **_

_**Best wishes,**_

_**Alan Moore. **_

_He looked up Raven, who had a bland expression on her face. _

'_How did you get this?' _

_She shrugged her shoulders. 'I have my ways.'_

'_Wait a sec...he's not even in town for Comic-con. He's in...'_

'_London? Yes...yes he is.' _

_A look of confusion etched across the green boy's face. 'You didn't take any days off. So how did you get...?' _

'_What's the distance when you can conjure transatlantic portals?' she said nonchalantly. _

_He got up from the bed and grabbed Raven's waist pulling her in for a tight hug. 'You are something else babe,' he whispered as he kissed along her neck. _

_Raven wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling them close together. 'Damn right I am. And don't you forget it,' she teased him. _

'_Never,' he breathed, as he continued kissing his way to her lips. But before he could give her a blistering kiss, she pulled out of his arms. There was sly look in her eyes. 'That was actually only one part.' _

_With a flick of her wrist, Raven used her powers to throw the changeling onto the bed. He landed with a grunt, and was about to sit back up, when he saw her unclasp her cloak. He swallowed when she bent at the hip, slowly unzipping her boots. When she stepped out of them, Beastboy realized how much he missed her old costume. At least he got to see more of her long legs then. Except he had been too ignorant to appreciate it them then. Oh well...better late than never. _

'_I don't know about you,' she said in that sexy low voice of hers, 'but I still have some space for...dessert.' _

_He didn't answer immediately. He was too occupied enjoying her crawl up slowly and seductively over his body. She straddled him, her hands splaying across his muscular chest. No doubt she could feel his heart beating madly in his chest._

'_Now by dessert, do you mean...' he waggled his eyebrows suggestively at her. _

_She rolled her eyes in true Raven fashion. She spoke her spell under her breath to conjure a bowl of vanilla ice-cream in one hand and sliced red apples in the other. _

_He mind scrambled to fix his error. 'Right...that type of dessert. That's what I was talking about too...' _

'_Of course you were.' _

Robin attention was distracted from the video as he heard Beastboy snort and mumble something incorrigible in his sleep. Beastboy grumbled groggily, a frown creasing his brow. Still sleeping, he rolled over on the couch.

Robin turned back to the screen.

'Wonder what's eating him?' he thought quietly.

* * *

_**Author's Note**__: Ha...messed with you all and had my AN at the END of the story! _

_WHAT MADNESS WILL I COME UP WITH NEXT?!_

_On a side note, cauterization used to be a heavily debated subject in the past. Modern medicine as well as clinical doctors and practitioners have all agreed that cauterization is actually a bad thing. It doesn't assist in any way, but rather destroys otherwise healthy tissue, making the healing time longer. It also makes the area perfect for bacterial growth, thereby increasing the risk of infection setting in. It is only used as a last ditch effort to staunch the flow of blood, but even then, only medical professionals do it, and that to, under selective situations. Someone smart like Raven would know that...so that's why she wasn't really keen on Starfire doing it. But desperate times call for desperate measures. _

_Sorry about the ending if it seems a bit meh. It's 3am right now, and I'm running outta steam. _

_Until next chapter...please review folks! I'd love to hear your thoughts. _


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